Sasuke's Keeper
by Nicola19
Summary: What if the Third Hokage had put Sasuke in someone's care like he had Iruka care for Naruto? Miyuki knows the pain Sasuke's in and agrees to take care of him after the Uchiha Massacre. She can only hope that she will be able to save him from her mistakes. Will she be able to save him from the hate burning inside him that could consume his life?
1. A Purpose

**A/N: So this is my first fanfic in years. Had a stroke of inspiration. So took a break from the novel I'm currently working on and wrote this. Hope you enjoy.**

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**Ch. 1: A Purpose**

The Third Hokage found Miyuki Shimizu standing in front of a memorial stone outside her parent's home. The look in her violet eyes worried him. They held the look of someone who had given up on life. It hurt him to see that in her. No sixteen year old should have that look. In the three months since her last mission, she'd been balancing precariously on an edge. He hadn't assigned her any missions because of it. There was a very good chance she wouldn't come back alive if he did in her current state of mind. He stood next to her in silence, looking at the names carved into stone with her.

"Do you need something, Lord Hokage?" she asked him after the silence had stretched too long. Her voice was rusty from disuse. "It's a little late for a social visit."

"Yes. I would like to offer you a mission." One he hoped would save two lives. Hers and the boy's.

She looked at him. Her expression still neutral. It took a lot to make Miyuki's face express the emotions within. "Offer?"

"It's optional." He met her gaze. "You are uniquely qualified, but I will be asking a lot from you."

"What is it?" She reached up to tuck some of her sand colored hair that had escaped her braid behind her ears and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. It was definitely time for a haircut. She really should have already gotten one but didn't have the motivation for it at the moment.

"Come with me."

He led her to the hospital. Once he was in front of one of the patient rooms, he stepped aside so she could look. Miyuki peered into the room to see its lone occupant was a small boy of about eight years old with dark hair and eyes. The look in those eyes was very familiar to her. She'd seen it in the mirror for twelve years. The nurses were looking him over but he barely acknowledged them. She turned her eyes to The Hokage in silent question.

"That is Sasuke Uchiha, one of only two now," he explained.

Her eyes widened slightly. "What happened?"

Here the Third hesitated. "It's complicated but it is believed that Itachi Uchiha happened. Sasuke is the only one left alive."

"That makes no sense." Miyuki barely managed not to roll her eyes thinking of the discussion Itachi and she once had about fighting and its purpose. Then she remembered that she might agree with him these days. Old habits die hard. "Itachi was as close to a pacifist as a shinobi could get. He wouldn't slaughter without reason."

"Be that as it may, he seems to be the one who killed them, and the reason is unknown." The Third looked over at the boy. "Sasuke is still just a child. He needs someone to look after him. If we're not careful, he could get lost in his pain and hatred. Like someone else I know did." He returned his gaze to her. "I was hoping you would take on the responsibility."

Her eyes went wide. "What? Me?" She took a step back. "Lord Hokage, I am hardly qualified to take care of myself let alone someone else."

"You are the only one in the village that understands him in every way. You are the one best suited to guide him in his current state of mind."

"But…I am not trustworthy with someone else's life. The last time I was involved with others someone died." She flung her arm out in a gesture to include everyone in the village. "No one out there trusts me with anything anymore. They're right not to. It was only a few months ago that I betrayed this village and my comrades at high cost."

"Yes. And this could be your chance to make amends. To do right by someone else where you failed another." Sarutobi smiled at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "As I told you, this is optional. I think you are the best choice for this mission, but the choice is yours."

She swallowed hard then looked at Sasuke. "I…I don't know."

"Well, think about it and when you do, let me know." He left her there.

Miyuki turned her back to the room and walked away. What was Lord Hokage thinking? She couldn't take care of anyone, even herself. And she'd done nothing but hurt anyone who tried to care about her. In fact, she not only burned all her bridges, she lit the match without remorse. At least, she hadn't had any remorse at the time. Not until after the dust had cleared and she'd realized she now had nothing to live for. Her fists clenched as she remembered Sasuke's eyes. He was the same. He had nothing too. She stopped walking in the middle of the village and looked up at the sky. Could she really turn her back on him knowing what choices he would make in life and that she could spare him the regrets she now lived with? Turning she made her way to Lord Hokage's office.

He smiled at her. "Miyuki, did you make up your mind already?"

"I'll do it." Her tone held the reluctance her face didn't betray. "I still think it's insane, but I…I can't just turn away from him knowing what he'll be thinking and feeling."

"I'm so glad. Thank you, Miyuki." His smile told her he had manipulated her without remorse. "It's a weight off my shoulders knowing Sauske is in your very capable hands."

She muttered a bit but didn't contradict him.

"I disagree."

Miyuki stiffened and glared at Lord Danzo. She'd hated him ever since she found out he attempted to kill Kakashi for his sharingan eye. Clenching fists as familiar anger warmed her, she spoke through gritted teeth. "No one asked you."

"You will just encourage Sasuke to be like you. A failure of a shinobi that puts himself above the village."

As she couldn't deny the fact that she had done just that, Miyuki settled on what she could argue. "I will not turn him into me. In fact, I'll do whatever it take to make sure he doesn't follow my steps."

"Danzo, I understand your concern, but the decision is mine to make," Lord Third pointed out sternly. His eyes didn't waiver from Danzo's. "I would hate for another shinobi to lose themselves in the dark after such a tragedy, wouldn't you? Miyuki here is the perfect one to guide Sasuke because she knows everything he's thinking and feeling."

"He'd be better off with me," Danzo snapped out.

"No," was the short and simple answer from the Hokage. Despite that single word, his expression held warning.

Danzo took a step back then sighed. "Fine. But when I'm proven right, don't come crying to me to clean up after you."

Once he stormed out, Miyuki let out a long breath. She still had to work on her anger issues it would seem.

"Now, let's continue working out the details, shall we?" the Hokage asked as he rested his elbows on his desk. After a bit more discussion about the practical aspect of becoming Sasuke's guardian, she made her way back to the hospital.

When she stepped into his room, Sasuke was alone and staring out the window. He looked over at her. She saw the rage burning deep in his eyes. He was already planning his steps down the path of vengeance. The same path she now wished she had stepped off of long ago.

"Having a hard time sleeping, kid?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," he answered a bit sullenly. The medics were probably giving him a hard time for not sleeping.

She walked over to sit at the side of his bed. "The nightmares have come, haven't they?"

He looked away from her.

She looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. "You think you can prepare yourself because you know they'll come. How could they not after what you've lived through? You brace yourself. But it's no use. The moment you close your eyes, there they are. Waiting. Reminding you of all the pain and grief. Like you need the reminder."

Sasuke found himself staring at her with wide eyes. Her eyes held pain and her whole body seemed tense as she spoke.

"After a few tries, you become afraid to close your eyes. In your sleep, your shields against that pain are weak. You are defenseless once again, and that frightens you more than the nightmares." She looked at him. "Eventually, your body gives up and you sleep anyway only for you to wake up on the verge of screams once again. So the battle continues."

He saw the understanding in her gaze. "You have nightmares too."

She nodded. "Yes."

"How do you sleep?"

Miyuki gave a humorless chuckle. "These days, I don't much. However, when I did manage it, sleep came easily only when someone I trusted was nearby. Someone that I believed strong enough to keep the nightmares at bay."

"Are you?"

"For your nightmares, yes." She reached out and brushed his hair away from his face. "I'll keep the monsters away from you, Kid. If you let me anyway."

"How do I know you can? I don't even know you."

"My name is Miyuki Shimizu, and I'm a jonin level shinobi that worked with the Anbu until recently. Does that help?"

"Why don't you work with the Anbu anymore?"

"I…" She looked out the window. "I made a mistake that cost me my comrades' trust."

"A mistake?"

She looked back at him with a reassuring smile. "My skill isn't what's in question. It's my priorities."

He considered the jonin. She wore a light blue shirt with an intricately designed snowflake on the back. Her right sleeve was long and bell shaped, stopping just below her wrist. The left side was nothing but a wide shoulder strap, and she word her headband on that upper arm. The bottom hem of the shirt reached mid-thigh with slits up to her hips to allow freedom of movement. Black pants were tucked into her boots. She had the standard shinobi pouches at her waist and on her right thigh. Her sand colored hair was in a braid that draped over one shoulder. Bangs fell over her forehead a bit haphazardly nearly obscuring her violet eyes. Her name rang a dim bell in his memory. It took a moment but then he placed it. His brother had mentioned her. She was on his Anbu team. His brother had referred to her as ruthless and powerful. From Him, that was high praise.

"You'll stay?"

Nodding, Miyuki tucked him in. "I'm not going anywhere, Kid."

"My name is Sasuke," he informed her on a yawn. "I'm not a kid."

Miyuki didn't bother responding as he drifted into sleep. She moved over to sit in the window and stare at the stars. When he started to whimper in his sleep, she moved back to his side and brushed soothing fingers through his hair and said words a former friend once said to her, "Shhh, it's okay. I won't let them hurt you. Sleep easy."

He settled again, relaxing in his sleep.

She returned to the window sill. Hopefully for Sasuke's sake, Lord Hokage knew what he was doing. Please, she begged silently. Please don't let me mess this kid's life up the way I did my own.

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A/N: And that's the first chapter. I'll have the next one up soon. Reviews are welcome.


	2. Reliance

**Ch. 2: Reliance**

The next morning, Sasuke woke to see she was still there, sitting in the window. She stood when she saw he was awake. "Good morning, Kid. Are you ready to get out of here?"

He nodded eagerly. Nothing sounded better at the moment than getting out of the hospital. He was tired of medics telling him what he needed. They didn't understand. How could anyone understand? He looked at Miyuki, remembering how easily she'd described his nightmares.

"Very well then," Miyuki responded with a knowing smile. "The Third Hokage said you have a choice. Either you can return to your family home, or you can stay with me."

He looked at his hands as memories flashed through his mind. "I don't want to go back."

Her eyes softened in understanding. "Okay. Follow me then."

He scooted out of the bed and hurried after her as she made her way out. One of the medics hurried forward to intercept her. "What are you doing? We haven't cleared him to leave."

"I cleared him," she informed the medic in a cold tone.

Sasuke found himself looking up at her in shock. He hadn't heard her sound like that. Not that he'd known her long, but she'd been so warm with him. Did she not like the medic? Her expression was different too. He couldn't tell what she was feeling or thinking like he could a second ago.

"You don't have a say in the matter," the medic objected.

"Yes, I do. If you have a problem with it, take it up with the Hokage." Miyuki didn't even pause in her stride. "He's the one that put the kid in my care."

Sasuke kept as close to her as he could, afraid the medic would challenge her further and keep him from being able to leave. He really was tired of being in the hospital. He looked up at Miyuki and found himself asking, "Why are you doing all of this?"

She looked back at him. "Lord Hokage asked me to look after you. I agreed."

He looked down. "So, it's a mission."

Miyuki nodded. "Of a sort." She stopped to face him. "Just to clear things up. He gave me a choice. It's not mandatory. I took this of my own free will and because I wanted to."

"Why?" He looked up at her. He wasn't sure how he felt about this. Any of it.

"Because I know what if feels like to have everything ripped away from you before you even know it's in danger by someone you love." She gave him that sad smile, and he saw the pain in her eyes again. "If I can help it, I don't want you feel as alone as I did when I lost everything."

She turned and continued walking.

Sasuke hurried after her as quickly as his eight year old legs would carry him, still trying to figure out how he felt about all of this. "I can take care of myself."

"I know." She glanced back at him again, this time he saw a hint of smile. "But things will be easier if you let me help."

"It'll make me weak."

"Nothing can do that now. You will get strong one way or another. You have to." Her smile faded. "The trick is doing it without burning your life to the ground in the process."

He wasn't sure what she meant by that, so he said nothing.

She stopped in front of one of the apartment buildings. "Here we are."

He looked at it. Nothing about it set the building apart from all the others. He followed as she opened one of the doors with a key, which she then handed to him. Stepping aside, she let him enter in front of her. He looked around. It was very basic furnishings. Miyuki didn't keep much for decorations. She led him to one of the bedrooms.

"This one will be yours."

When he stepped into his new room, he noticed that some of the stuff inside was his from his room at his family's home. He looked at her in silent question.

"I asked the Hokage to have someone bring them here last night." She gave him a knowing look. Miyuki remembered the one place she hadn't been able to go back to more than once a year. "There was no way you were going to choose to live where your family had died."

He shuddered. The smell of blood and image of death was still strong in his memory. No. He couldn't go back there. Not until he made Him pay for what he'd done.

"I'll let you get settled. If you need anything, just ask."

She started to leave but Sasuke stopped her, making her turn to face him again.

"Um…" He swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. "I just…" Letting out a breath, he met her eyes. "Thank you."

Smiling, she ruffled his hair. "Don't worry about it, Kid."

Later that night, Sasuke jerked awake crying out for his brother. Memory returned and he cursed himself. Why call out for the monster that gave him the nightmares in the first place? Stupid. He rubbed his eyes, trying to erase the images that he could still see every time he blinked.

"That won't help."

He jerked then relaxed when he saw that it was Miyuki.

She was leaning on the door frame to his room. "I've tried that for years. Might as well break that habit now. The things you've seen can never be unseen."

He looked down at his hands. "Does it get better?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "The only time my nightmares have ever given me a break was when someone else was there."

Sasuke clenched his hands. He didn't want to rely on someone else. Anyone else. The person he relied on most had been the one to destroy him and everything he cared about. What sane person would invite the chance for that sort of betrayal into their lives more than once?

Miyuki looked back at the boy then sighed. How was she going to teach him what she had to learn the hard way? Well, the real question was could she get him to listen the way she hadn't before it was too late. "Sasuke, you can't go through life, expecting everyone you need is going to one day let you down."

His eyes moved back to her face. It was the first time she'd used his name.

Her violet eyes looked into his and he saw his own pain mirrored in them. "Because if you do, one day, you'll meet a fate worse than death."

"What fate is that?"

"You'll end up like me." She slid into his room and moved over to lean against a wall. Pulling out a book, she slid down to sit on the floor and started to read. "Go ahead and get some sleep. I'll keep the nightmares away again."

"I don't need help."

"You do need sleep," she interrupted.

He crossed his arms stubbornly.

"How do you expect to ever get stronger if you don't give your body the things it needs? Sleep is crucial," she reminded him sternly. Her eyes softened. "It's okay to be afraid, Kid. What you survived and witnessed was traumatic. It's asking a bit much of yourself to expect to be okay with it overnight. Let me help you. Before you know it, you'll manage to sleep without the crutch as you probably think of it."

Reluctantly, Sasuke laid back down. He found himself drifting off, despite himself. Before he knew it, he'd fallen asleep again. The next morning, Sasuke found Miyuki was still sitting right where she'd been when he fell asleep.

She smiled softly at him. "Good morning, Kid. How about some training?"

His eyes widened. "You want to train with me?"

"More like I want to train you, but same thing pretty much."

"I thought they didn't want me learning too much, because they think I'll just go after…" he hesitated, "…go after Him."

"Say his name, Kid."

"What?"

"Don't avoid using his name. It'll turn him into a boogie man. Don't get me wrong, what he did was monstrous, but he is still human." She crouched down so she'd be more at his level. "You don't need to be afraid of him and saying his name won't make you weak. Not saying it just might."

"They think I'll go after Itachi," he said again, this time using the name. It stuck in his throat a little and he realized she was right. He'd been afraid to say the name. Like it would summon him or something.

Nodding with satisfaction, she stood back up. "Most don't. They're afraid of what you'll do with the knowledge given what happened." She looked off in the distance towards something he couldn't see. Something about what she said, or maybe the way she said it, made him wonder if she was talking about his family or something else altogether. Her eyes focused on him again. "However, I know better. Nothing will stop you. At least if I train you, you'll be more prepared and have an outlet for that rage in you."

He nodded in agreement and hurried after her.

"Here we are," she said as they came upon the training grounds. Turning, she took a fighting stance. "Are you ready?"

Sasuke stiffened briefly, then readied himself to fight. The training began. She was brutal. Always pushing him to improve. Calmly stating each and every flaw in his stance and movements. Showing him with solid blows where he had left himself open or failed to think things through. By the end of it, his muscles strained just to keep himself upright. His lungs could barely keep up with his body's demand for air.

She ruffled his hair. "That's enough for today, Kid. Let's go get some food."

"I can keep going," he objected stubbornly. If he just quit how was he going to ever catch up to Itachi?

Miyuki crouched so she could look him in the eyes. "One more lesson then. Admit it when you've reached your limit."

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"Never hesitate to admit your weaknesses. For one of two reasons depending on the situation." She held up a finger. "You don't want to break yourself permanently because your body isn't ready to handle what you're demanding of it. It's okay to take growth at a pace it can keep up with. You won't catch up to Itachi if you damage yourself in the process of acquiring the power to do so." She held up a second finger. "And two, you can't overcome a weakness you won't even admit exists."

He sighed and nodded.

"Good. Now let's go eat."

After eating, they walked back to their apartment. With a wave goodnight, she started for her own room. Hesitantly, he reached up and grabbed her sleeve. She glanced back at him. Neither spoke, but she smiled and nodded. She knew he was afraid to sleep still. She grabbed a book and moved to sit in his windowsill as she read. He crawled into bed and let himself drift to sleep, trusting she could keep the nightmares away.

After that day, Sasuke spent a lot of time with Miyuki either training or otherwise. She may call him kid, but Miyuki didn't treat him like one. During training, she worked him hard, but always told him how to improve, where he was lacking, and what he needed to do to be better. Outside of training, she taught him how to take care of himself by making sure he had skills as basic as cooking and even sewing. He found he appreciated that she didn't do things for him, but instead showed him how to do it himself. When he asked how she'd learned all of this, she gave him a sad smile and answered, "Most of it I learned the hard way by trial and error. Some I learned from others. I'm not an expert at most of this by any means, but I manage."

Slowly, day by day, the nightmares stop dominating his every thought. He finally started to notice the world around him again. The first thing he notice was the way the other shinobi reacted to Miyuki. They were walking through town getting groceries when he saw it. The glares followed her every step. Every shinobi they passed gave her looks of such disdain he couldn't help but wonder what she'd done to earn them. When he looked up at Miyuki's face, her usual neutral expression was all he saw.

He heard the others begin to whisper.

"Look out, here comes the Ice Queen."

"What was Lord Hokage thinking leaving the Uchiha with her."

"She shouldn't be trusted with anyone's life, let alone a child's."

Cautiously, he asked, "Are all those looks and whispers because of that mistake you mentioned?"

She nodded. "This is what happens when you burn your life down to achieve something." Miyuki looked at him, her expression still blank except for her violet eyes. In them he saw a lifetime's worth of pain and regret. "You come to the point where you then have nothing. No one cares if I live or die."

Something about what she said made him frown, but for the life of him, he wasn't sure why it bothered him. "And the Ice Queen stuff?"

With a smirk, she faced forward again. "That would be my code name. I earned it because of my jutsu. It's unique. I'll show it to you during training if you like."

Someone called her name.

"What is it?" she asked, facing the shinobi calling her.

The shinobi that approached them informed her that the Hokage had a mission for her.

"He does?" she asked with some surprise. "I thought he was avoiding giving me any."

The shinobi just shrugged.

"I'm on my way," she answered him. She handed Sasuke the bags she'd carried with their groceries. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I will have to go now."

He nodded, accepting the bags from her. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to be careful, but he swallowed the words. Instead, he watched her walk away in silence. Sasuke didn't sleep well while she was away. True to her word, she'd kept the nightmares away. With her gone, they returned. Every heart wrenching one. Waking in a cold sweat became normal for him. A weak part of him that he cursed to no end wanted her to return soon. How was he going to become strong enough to beat Itachi with that weak part of him? Despite that, when she returned, he felt the relief flood him.

"How was the mission?" he asked her when she sat at the table with a groan of relief.

"Successful," she answered, rubbing at her shoulder. "Exhausting though. I miss working with a team."

His eyes widened. "I thought all shinobi worked on a squad."

"Most do. No one will work with me, however." She looked away and he saw the guilt in her eyes. "They don't trust me anymore."

"Because of that mistake you made?"

Miyuki nodded.

After hesitating a moment, he asked quietly, "What was it?"

"I abandoned a mission and someone died. Trust, once lost, is not regained easily." She sighed and met his gaze again. Like Sasuke, she wasn't normally prone to being talkative, but she needed him to understand what she learned the hard way. "The worst part is, one of my former comrades is dealing with things that I now can't help him with. I owe him so much but with that mistake he won't even acknowledge me anymore. So, I am forced to just watch as the darkness inside him threatens to swallow him." Miyuki leaned on the table, regret heavy in her voice. "Even though he worked to try and save me from mine."

"Can people even be saved from darkness?" Sasuke asked her.

"Yes. The question should be, can they be saved before they destroy their future?" Miyuki sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Unfortunately, in my case the answer is no. I hope the answer for my comrade is different."

That wasn't the last mission she left on or returned from. He always told himself he was more interested in the fact that once she was back, his training could resume than in the fact that his nightmares eased when she was home. Miyuki never commented one way or the other, but her knowing smile was enough to tell him she wasn't fooled. The pattern of his life as it was now continued for a few months before fate decided to clue him in on just how much she mattered now. Miyuki had been gone on a mission for longer than she'd said she'd be. It was supposed to have been a simple trading of information with one of the other shinobi villages. Nothing someone of her training and skill level couldn't handle, so she should have been back by now. Not that he was worried or anything, he assured himself.

Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was passing by the gates for the third time that day alone. Just passing by, he told himself. Despite himself, he couldn't help searching to see if Miyuki was one of the people walking through. He froze. She stumbled forward. Blood dripped down her body. Bruises covered nearly every inch of her skin that he could see. Everyone stumbled back from her as she fell to her knees.

"Miyuki!" He hadn't even realized he'd shouted her name until he was running towards her.

She managed a smile. "Hey, Kid. Sorry…I'm late."

"Miyuki," he whispered trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. There was just so much blood. "What happened?"

She closed her eyes. "It was a trap."

"Miyuki!" he shouted again as she fell over.

Then the Hokage was there, kneeling next to Sasuke. "This isn't good." He scooped her up and rushed towards the hospital. "We need to get her to a medic."

Sasuke was hot on his heels. She had to be okay. She just had to be. He didn't know if he could survive losing someone again. "She's going to be okay, right?"

It worried him more when no one answered. The medics took her as soon as the Hokage walked through the door. Orders were shouted. Sasuke watched them take her into one of the rooms. Tremors shook his body as he clenched his fists in an attempt to control himself. The Hokage simply placed a hand on his head in comfort. They waited. And waited. And waited. Sasuke got tired of watching the seconds tick on the clock and got up to pace. That didn't really help. After what felt like an eternity, one of the medics finally came out of the room. Sasuke practically pounced on the medic.

"Is Miyuki going to be okay?" he demanded again.

"She is going to be fine." The medic turned his attention to the Hokage. "She is awake and capable of speaking, so you are able to get a report from her now if you wish, Lord Hokage, but don't keep her long. She lost a lot of blood and needs rest."

With a nod, Lord Third made his way into the room, gesturing for Sasuke to follow him. Sasuke did not have to be told twice. The moment she saw them, Miyuki forced herself into a sitting position. Sasuke could only stare. Somehow, being treated didn't negate the horror of the damage she'd sustained. Her arms to completely covered in bandages, and he saw some peeking out from under her clothes. One of her cheeks was bruised and there was a bandage around her forehead that already had red seeping through. She looked exhausted.

Sasuke climbed up so he could sit next to her. She offered him a reassuring smile before turning her full attention to The Hokage.

"Lord Third, I'm sorry." She looked away from him. "I was ambushed. Severely outnumbered. They brought way more shinobi than they said they would."

"Did they take the documents with them?"

She shook her head. "Those are still in my possession. They're in my bag over there." She leaned back against the wall behind her as she pointed to where the medics had put her things. "I feel stupid. They caught me off guard. How naïve could I be? I should have been more careful."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. You came back alive, and they didn't get those documents after double crossing us. It's more than most could have done solo." The Hokage smiled at her as he pulled the scrolls out of her bag. "I'll just take these, and you get some rest."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." The moment he was gone, she looked at Sasuke. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"Next time, go with a team."

"I can't. They won't work with me," she reminded him patiently.

"The Hokage can make them if you ask," he snapped out. "Then you would have back up and this wouldn't happen."

Miyuki shook her head. "The Hokage could and would force me onto teams if I asked, but I lost that right when I abandoned my last team for my own personal needs." She gave him that sad smile she was prone to. "I made my bed, Kid. Now I have to live with it."

"You were wrong," he informed her with a violent shake of his head.

She tilted her head. "About what?"

"Someone does care." He was shaking again and couldn't get himself to stop. Sasuke closed his eyes to at least try to stop the tears. It wasn't working. "If you live or die. I care, so don't…Don't die, okay? I don't think I could take it."

Miyuki's eyes widened then softened. Reaching out, she pulled Sasuke into a hug. "Thank you, Sasuke."

His buried his face in her shoulder, needing the comfort.

"You know. I thought the Hokage asked me to be your guardian to help you," she told him in a near whisper. "But now I realize, he wanted you to help me."

"Help you? But, you're a jonin."

"I know, but I have been so lost. I didn't have a reason to live anymore. I lost it. No. I didn't lose it. I threw it away." She let him go so she could see his eyes. Her smile was still soft as she ruffled his hair. "Then Lord Third dropped you into my life. You may not want to rely on me, Sasuke, but is it okay if I rely on you? I could use a new reason to live."

He nodded slowly. "Okay." Sasuke looked away from her as he said, "I…" He hesitated before admitting, "I could use a new reason too. So, I'll rely on you."

She chuckled. "I'd be honored. I won't let you down." When he looked at her again, she added, "Promise."

* * *

A foundation shinobi hurried to report Miyuki's injury to Danzo. He listened quietly then asked, "Did the enemy get the scroll?"

"No, my lord. Lord Hokage has it now."

"That's something at least." Danzo looked in the direction of the hospital. "I can't believe Hiruzen left the care of Sasuke to that woman."

"What will you do now, Lord Danzo?"

"Nothing. Between Itachi's threat and Hiruzen placing the boy with Miyuki of all people my hands are tied. For now."


	3. Team 7

**Ch. 3: Team 7**

Danzo kept a careful on on Miyuki and Sasuke over the next five years. He was disturbed to note that Miyuki didn't let her guard down even for a moment. When she left for missions, Lord Third kept a watchful eye over Sasuke in her stead. Before he knew it, Sasuke grew into a capable young shinobi about become a genin. Worse yet, he was making Kakashi the boy's genin instructor. Hiruzen was making it harder and harder for him to get to the boy. Just as he had with Miyuki when she'd been a child.

Danzo glared as the Hokage knocked on Miyuki's door with Kakashi just behind him. The boy wouldn't be home at the moment, but neither had the other two that would be placed on Kakashi's team. He may have to give up on Sasuke just as he had on Miyuki. His single visible eye narrowed. How frustrating. All that work and he didn't get the entire pay off. He watched Miyuki open the door to greet the two. He couldn't hear what was said and didn't have too. With an annoyed shake of his head at Hiruzen's idea of protecting the village. Such weak ideas would doom them all eventually. With a final glare, he turned and walked away. There was still a little time before he had to let go of getting what he needed out of Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

The day before Sasuke graduated from the academy, Miyuki opened her door to find Lord Hokage on the other side of it. His personal visits to her home were rare. She tilted her head slightly, though her face remained expressionless. "Hello, Lord Third. What brings you here?"

"I was just helping Sasuke's genin instructor get acquainted with his student before meeting them," Sarutobi explained with a warm smile.

"Genin instructor?" she asked as she looked past him. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw who stood behind him. "Kakashi."

"It's been a while, Miyuki," he greeted, his tone as aloof as it had been since their last mission together nearly five years ago. Which was also her last mission on a squad period.

She looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "I see. I suppose it would make sense for you to be his instructor given you are the only one who can teach him about the Sharingan."

"My thoughts exactly," the Hokage agreed. "Now, will you let us into Sasuke's room please?"

"Oh. Well…" She let out a breath then nodded. "As you wish."

She stood aside to let them inside. Pointing to his door, she told them, "That one is it." Thinking now would be a good time to escape, she started to leave. "Well, I'll leave you to it."

"Miyuki, please come with us," the Hokage told her. She knew that despite it being phrased as a question, it was an order. "You could provide quite a bit of insight into Sasuke's mind that might benefit Kakashi."

Her back was to them, so she took the opportunity to glare. Why couldn't he just let her run away? They all knew Kakashi didn't want her there. Mentally cursing her luck, she turned with a carefully blank expression. "Of course, Lord Hokage."

Sasuke's room was as it always was, meticulously organized and cleaned. She smiled just a little when she saw that the one personal possession, he had in obvious view was a picture of them together taken on his ninth birthday just months after she became his guardian. Kakashi picked it up then looked at her curiously. She simply shrugged.

"It's from one of his birthdays, right?" Lord Sarutobi asked her.

She nodded. "Yes. The first one where he was under my care."

"He seems to be doing well overall."

Miyuki's eyes darted to Kakashi then away again. "I was too until I wasn't."

"Any advice for Kakashi?"

Her expressionless mask slipped, revealing the pain behind it for only a second before she had it back on. "Only to be aware of his drive. He has one goal at the moment and hasn't thought beyond that yet. I…" She finally looked at Kakashi again, careful to hide how hard that was for her. "I haven't told him about my history yet. Not that he's asked much. I'm not sure the timing it quite right in any case. If I mess that up…Well, it's not something I can afford to screw up."

"I'm familiar with the problem. Hopefully, I'll have better luck with him than with you," Kakashi answered. Now there was a coldness that had her mentally wincing. Yep. Still made at her. She hadn't really expected otherwise.

"I hope so too," she told him sincerely. "I would hate for him to make the same mistakes I did."

* * *

Sasuke walked into the apartment he shared with Miyuki feeling a little put out. It had been nearly five years since his clan's massacre and Miyuki became his guardian. He had, in that time, come to terms with the fact that she mattered to him. She'd snuck in there when he'd still been vulnerable because of the loss of his clan. It certainly hadn't helped him that she seemed to have an uncanny ability to know exactly what he was thinking and feeling.

When she heard the door, Miyuki looked up at him from tending to her gear and smiled in greeting. "Hello, Kid. How are you?"

That greeting eased the stress eating away at him. Miyuki always asked him how his day was. The simplest thing ever, and it was the moment he looked most forward to. Proof that somebody cared. Really cared. Not like those girls that thought they liked him. How could they when they knew nothing about him? Miyuki not only knew, she understood.

"Fine." He sat across from her. Sasuke could tell she was stressed about something and debated on asking about it. "I was assigned my genin team today."

Miyuki tilted her head. "I take it that's a problem?"

"Well…" He explained about Naruto and Sakura, finishing with, "They're not exactly stellar shinobi."

"Maybe you'll make them better then." Miyuki continued sharpening her kunai. "That's the purpose of a team after all. Even you can't be perfect. Your squad helps to make up for your faults. It'll make you a more effective team."

He sighed. "I think those two are hopeless."

Miyuki chuckled in amusement. "I think you should give them a chance."

"You really think Naruto is capable of being a shinobi?" he demanded with some sarcasm. She, like everyone else, had seen the idiot around the village. "He's just a loser."

She hesitated; her eyes lost in thought. Naruto was the boy with the nine-tails inside him. Yes, he was a knucklehead, but he was a determined one. She knew what determination could do to a person. Sasuke should too since he was also determined. The goals may be different, but the emotions behind them were the same. "You really think so?"

"You don't? He always acts out. Let's others push his buttons and see the effect they have on him. And he's not all that great at jutsu." He scoffed. "He is a loser."

Miyuki considered her answer for a moment. She'd spent the last five years carefully guiding Sasuke through the rage and hate that burned in him underneath everything else. It was still a work in progress getting him to acknowledge others and let himself care. "You two might have more in common than you think. There are all kinds of armor in this world, Kid."

He frowned. Despite being twelve now, she still called him Kid. In fact, he's only heard her use his name a handful of times, usually when she really wanted him to listen to what she said. "What do you mean?"

"We hide our emotions and thoughts from others as a kind of armor. To protect ourselves. Because we know the power a person has over us when we care about them. Caring means that one word can hurt more than a broken bone." Miyuki kept her eyes on the kunai in her hand as she rhythmically ran it over the sharpening stone. "Naruto just uses a different armor. Instead of hiding his emotions, he wears them proudly. Openly. He refuses to let other have the power to subdue him. The only time he probably lets the hyper die down is when he's alone and no one can see."

Sasuke frowned. "You sound like you approve."

"In a way I do. His method wouldn't work for me anymore than it would for you. But, it's still a valid method." She smiled at him a little. "And takes as much strength as it does for you to keep what you really feel tucked away and not react."

"I suppose," he admitted grudgingly.

Miyuki simply gave him that knowing smile. "As for his ability to use jutsu, that can be improved with the right instructor."

"Will it be you?"

She outright laughed at that. "They won't even let me work with a squad of jonin level shinobi. They are not going to ever let me lead genin. The other shinobi would revolt. Lord Hokage had enough trouble keeping them from interfering with my care of you." She put away her weapons and tools. "I'm guessing you don't know who it is yet?"

He shook his head, squashing down all the questions that sprang to mind. There were many things about Miyuki he still didn't know, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. It might make her matter more than she already did. "We'll meet him tomorrow."

"Good luck."

"Thanks." After a moment, he gave in. "What's bothering you?"

"Just a visit from an old comrade." She let out a long breath. "He's the one who's forgiveness I want most and one least likely to give it to me."

"Why? It's been five years since then at least. Surely it wasn't that bad?"

"Somethings can't be made right that easily, Sasuke."

He blinked at her. He'd forgotten how odd his name sounded coming from her.

Miyuki met his gaze. "Sometimes, being sorry isn't enough. Someone died. I can't undo that. I can't bring them back with an apology. I may not have been able to save them if I had been there, but now we'll never know because I abandoned my squad and my mission. I broke the rules, so I'm scum. I abandoned my comrades, so I'm also worse than scum." She looked out the window towards something. He never knew what she looked at, only that there was a particular spot her eyes went to when considering her mistakes. "I don't think I will ever be forgiven for what happened on that mission. It is just something I will have to learn to live with. I did it to myself after all."

He didn't know what to say, so he remained silent. Though, it was once again on the tip of his tongue to ask for more details. He bit the words back, reminding himself he had his own problems. Let her deal with her own.

The next day, he found himself sitting with Kakashi Hatake and his two new squad mates. Kakashi had asked them to introduce themselves. When it was Sasuke's turn, he started with his name, "I am Sasuke Uchiha. I…" He hesitated here, remembering how Miyuki felt about teams and squads, then continued with a slight change for what he originally planned to say, "I like learning new things. I hate being weak." He thought about it for a moment. "I don't really have hobbies. And what I have isn't a dream because I will make it a reality. I will restore my clan and kill a certain someone."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. A little more than I expected but roughly that, he thought absently. He gave them their instructions for their test the next day then dismissed them.

Sasuke returned home to tell Miyuki about his instructor and see if she knew him. The moment he mentioned Kakashi's name, she froze for a moment before setting the cup of tea she'd been drinking down. He tilted his head in confusion, "Miyuki?"

"Sorry." She gave him that humorless smile she'd get sometimes. Usually when thinking about her mistakes. "It's just that, Lord Hokage sure has a sense of irony."

"I don't understand? Do you know him?"

"Yes. Kakashi Hatake was once in the Anbu with me. In fact, he was my squad's captain," she answered in a matter of fact tone. "I believe the Hokage chose him for you on purpose."

"Why?" He also hadn't forgotten that she'd been on Itachi's squad. Which meant Kakashi had been Itachi's captain as well.

"He has a sharingan that he was given by a friend that was an Uchiha. From what I understand, his friend had been fatally wounded and had his eye transplanted into Kakashi as a final gift." She spun the cup around on the table to give her hands something to do. "Kakashi is perhaps the only one in the village who can teach you about the sharingan once you awaken it."

"Oh." Sasuke thought about this for a moment. "That will be good then."

She nodded. "He can teach you the one thing I can't." She threaded her fingers together and rested her chin on top of them as she leaned on the table. "That is, if you pass his test tomorrow."

He nodded. "I will pass. I have to."

"Be careful, Kid. You are in danger of blinding yourself with that drive of yours." She leaned back in the chair. "I have been enough example of the risk of doing just that."

"I have to be driven. How else am I going to get stronger?" he snapped as he stalked off to his room.

Miyuki wondered if it was time to tell him. She didn't want to rush things, but he was still letting his anger and hate guide his path. No one knew better than she did just where that path would lead if he didn't change that. The last thing she wanted was Sasuke to repeat her mistakes. Rushing things could be equally hazardous though. While he accepted his reliance on her, he didn't like it. It was a weakness for him as far as he was concerned. She was certain he only tolerated it because she relied on him as well. She played with her braid which always seemed to make itself handy by hanging over her shoulder. If only she had someone she could talk to for advice. She sighed in frustration. She did this to herself after all. No choice but to hope for the best.

She answered a knock at the door. A shinobi stood there with a summons from Lord Hokage. He had another mission for her.

"Now? Sasuke's final test is tomorrow," she answered with a slight frown. She barely expressed herself with others. A habit she chose not to break when her previous actions proved unforgivable. The shield of indifference was all she had against the other shinobi's distain.

"Are you refusing a mission?"

"No," she answered curtly. On a sigh, she told the shinobi she'd be right there as soon as she had her gear. When she turned back, she saw Sasuke was standing in his doorway. She offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Kid. Make sure you remember all the details to share when I get back."

"You have to go now?"

"I'm guessing yes. I've already bargained for two days a year that I absolutely cannot be out on missions. Asking for more would be getting greedy."

Sasuke blinked with surprise. He hadn't realized there were two days she intentionally avoided being away for. Before he could ask her about it, she waved and walked out the door. He followed to watch her as she made her way down the street. He made a note to ask her about that as he watched her walk away. An image of her laying bandaged in a hospital bed flashed through his mind. He'd never forget that day or any of her visits to the hospital for serious injuries received while on missions. It was a battle every time she left for a mission not to let the fear overwhelm him. If only she'd go with a team.

Miyuki stopped and turned. "Sasuke."

He looked at her.

"By the way, you know how you always want me to go on mission with a team?"

He nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going.

"I feel the same about you for the same reason. So, try to get along with the others, for my peace of mind at least. Okay? Even mediocre back up is better than none at all most of the time." She smiled at him one last time, then turned and hurried off.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure her request was possible. Not with these two. His eyes moved to examine them both. A silly girl and a hyper knucklehead. How was he supposed to get along with them? He was waiting for Kakashi-sensei with the other two. The sun hadn't even risen completely yet when they got there. Everyone was still tired. They sat in silence as they waited. He thought about what Miyuki had said about teams. She was right. He wanted her to work with one because she'd be safer that way. But wouldn't relying on one make him weak? He couldn't afford to be weak. Not if he wanted to catch up to Itachi.

Kakashi eventually showed up like nothing was wrong with being late. He didn't waste much time in explaining everything to them. When he said go, all three began their efforts to accomplish the task he set. So much for teamwork though. They couldn't be a team if one of them was going to fail. He'd be damned if he helped both of them pass and not get a bell himself. Needless to say, none of them succeeded, though he managed to touch a bell before the time was up. His frustration was at its peak. He even found himself letting some of his inner turmoil out to Sakura when they heard the bell ring. Damn it.

Naruto ended up tied to a post while Sakura and Sasuke sat on either side of him. Kakashi threatened to fail them all. Sasuke's rage exploded and he attacked. Kakashi had no problems subduing him. No matter how hard he struggled, Kakashi kept his grip tight. The words Kakashi was saying finally began to sink in. Sasuke stopped struggling. Teamwork. Kakashi finally let him up to walk over to the monument. The moment he told them what it was, Sasuke felt his heart give a squeeze. Miyuki's name could end up there. It almost had just months after he'd met her. He looked back at the memorial stone. Without a team, the chances of her being KIA were higher than other shinobi. He clenched fists. Teamwork, huh? Sasuke mentally cursed himself. All this time he'd been the biggest hypocrite. Wishing Miyuki would work with a team but refusing to do so himself. She practically told him she was afraid of him getting hurt because of his stubbornness when she left for her mission. He let out a breath. Maybe relying on a team wouldn't be so bad after all. He looked at Sakura and Naruto, even if it was these two.

He decided that making this team work was more important than Kakashi's rule. For that to happen, Naruto would need to be at full strength. Taking her queue from Sasuke, Sakura helped him feed Naruto. That turned out to be the right answer. Kakashi told them they passed, much to all their relief. When Kakashi mentioned his stance on rule breaking and teamwork, Sasuke heard the echo of Miyuki's words to him yesterday. Was it Kakashi-sensei's forgiveness she wanted? He'd have to ask her when she got back.

As a reward for passing, Kakashi took them out to eat. Sasuke wished Miyuki were here so he could tell her how he did and that it was thanks to her that he passed. It would just have to wait until she returned.

It took over a month for Miyuki to get back. In that time, Team 7 worked on several low-ranking missions together to hone their basic skills. Naruto found this frustrating, and Sasuke hated to admit it, but he agreed with the knucklehead. They were in the Hokage's office and Naruto was informing them that he wanted a real ninja mission.

"Careful what you ask for," someone behind them told him.

Sasuke knew that voice. He spun to see Miyuki standing in the doorway. She seemed no worse for wear. Something in him that had been tight since the day she left, finally relaxed again. Her eyes met his and he saw the smile in them even if her face remained expressionless.

"I see you honored my request, Kid. I appreciate that." She walked forward to ruffle his hair. Her gaze moved back to the Hokage, very careful not to look at Kakashi. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, Lord Hokage. I was told I could come on in."

"No, Miyuki. It's fine." He sat back in his chair. "How was your mission?"

"Successful." She moved up to the table to hand him a sheet of paper. "This is what you asked for."

"Thank you. I hope it wasn't too difficult."

She shrugged. "I managed."

"What about us?" Naruto demanded.

Miyuki had to fight the chuckle. Naruto was refreshing in his differences from Sasuke. Naruto was eager and hyper, where Sasuke was cool and laid back. Was she ever so eager to please? She couldn't remember a time before the pain, rage, and hate that had consumed her life. She'd been so young when it happened. Younger even than Sasuke had been.

"Oh, yes." The Hokage looked at him then sighed. "Alright. I'll give you a C ranked mission."

The explanations followed soon after and the team took the mission. Miyuki helped Sasuke pack for it and followed him to the village gates to see him off.

"This time, I get to say bye and watch you leave," she commented as the gates came into sight.

He nodded then muttered, "I might kill them all before this mission is over."

This time, she didn't bother hiding the chuckle. "I doubt that." Reaching out, she ruffled his hair again. "It's okay to like other people you know."

He'd never admit it out loud, but her habitual gesture was oddly comforting to him. He shoved her hand away with glare. "You don't like anyone."

"I do, actually." That sad look came into her eyes. "They just don't like me."

Once again, he battled his curiosity. He didn't need her demons on top of his own. Let her deal with her own problems he reminded himself for perhaps the millionth time.

"I didn't expect you to come see us off, Miyuki," Kakashi said once they joined with the others.

Sasuke then noticed that Miyuki wouldn't meet Kakashi's eye. He then remembered he'd wanted to ask her if it was Kakashi-sensei's forgiveness she wanted.

"It's his first mission." Miyuki's expression remained neutral. "Of course I'd see him off."

"Umm, who are you?" Sakura asked a bit timidly.

"Sorry. I guess I haven't introduced myself." Miyuki gladly turned her attention to someone other than Kakashi. "My name is Miyuki Shimizu. I'm Sasuke's guardian."

"Oh. I'm Sakura Haruno. It's nice to meet you."

Miyuki barely managed not to smile. She was getting soft, she chided herself. "The pleasure's mine. It's nice to meet Sasuke's team."

"Don't you want to know my name?" Naruto demanded.

Miyuki really had a hard time not smiling this time. The neutral expression was getting harder and harder to maintain. "I don't need to ask. You're Naruto Uzumaki. It's hard to miss knowing you when you shout it all over the village along with telling everyone that you'll be hokage someday."

"Oh." He gave her a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess that's true." Naruto frowned at her as he realized something. "You're not laughing. At my dream that is."

"Why would I laugh?" She shrugged. "Who am I to say you won't be Hokage? Besides, one should never laugh at another's dream. Sometimes, it's all they have."

Naruto's eyes widened.

Sasuke also froze. It hadn't occurred to him. All he had was Miyuki. All Naruto had was that dream of his. Both had grabbed hold of the only thing life had given them and held on with both hands as tightly as possible. The very idea of losing it was unthinkable. Miyuki was right. He and Naruto might have more in common than he thought.

"Let's stop wasting time," Kakashi ordered as he made his way out the gates. "We have a mission to get to."

"Right." The three genin and Tazuna hurried after him.

"Be careful," Miyuki whispered as she watched them go.


	4. Shimizu Clan

**Ch. 4: Shimizu Clan**

The day Sasuke returned from the Land of Waves mission, he went looking for Miyuki. He had a question for her that didn't even know how to begin answering. Those moments when he thought Naruto was going to die. His body moving on its own to shield his teammate. He'd been so certain he was going to die himself in that moment. Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets in an attempt to contain his irritation with himself. How was he supposed to avenge his clan if he died before killing Itachi? This sudden rush to save someone, anyone even if it cost his life was stupid. No one noticed but he'd done it for Sakura too when those two chunin attacked them on the way to the Land of Waves. He'd moved between her and the attackers without a second hesitation, ready to keep them from putting even one scratch on her.

Where was Miyuki? He huffed out an annoyed breath. Usually she was easy to find. She'd be at home or the training yard. He'd already checked those places and she hadn't been there. Since she had no friends or family besides himself, it wasn't like she was out with others someplace being social. Don't get him wrong. He would be relieved if someone started to befriend her again. That would mean she was forgiven and maybe wouldn't keep carrying around the weight of that mistake with her. Also, when he wanted to find her and she wasn't in her usual places, maybe someone would know where she was.

"Something wrong, Sasuke?"

He looked up at Kakashi. The copy ninja was carrying a bag with groceries in it. Clearly he had been getting food for his dinner. Sasuke hesitated. Something had happened between Kakashi-sensei and Miyuki. Deciding that finding her was more important than her need to avoid Kakashi-sensei, he said, "I can't find Miyuki."

Kakashi looked up, thinking about where the Ice Queen would be right now. When he looked at Sasuke again, his expression seemed almost sad. His tone held a note of foreboding when he answered. "Today is the anniversary, so she'd be at the memorial."

"Anniversary? Memorial?"

"Don't you know what happened to her?" Kakashi seemed surprised by this. He hadn't believed that Sasuke had lived with her all this time without figuring it out on his own if nothing else. Well, the boy did have tunnel vision. It may have blinded him to Miyuki's history.

"I know something did," Sasuke replied defensively, looking away from Kakashi. "I just don't know the details. She never talks about it."

"Have you asked?"

Sasuke didn't answer this time.

Kakashi gave a tired sigh. This kid was going to drive him to drink. If not him then Naruto. "I can show you where the memorial is if you want."

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably but nodded. He really needed to talk to Miyuki. Besides, next time someone asked why he didn't ask Miyuki about her history, he clearly needed to be able to say he had. It never occurred to him how embarrassing it would be for everyone else to know more about Miyuki than he did.

Kakashi gestured for Sasuke to follow him then led the way. They ended up on the very outskirts of Konoha. Nature had begun to reclaim the area, telling Sasuke it had been abandoned for a while. Most of the old buildings were crumbling to the ground with vines snaking up the walls. There was barely any street left as grass and bushes crept out of the forest. Kakashi led him down the only clear path and that one was narrow as if it was barely used. He saw Miyuki standing before a large stone that looked like a grave marker of some sort. At least, it was the same shape just bigger. The top of it reached Miyuki's waist and it was as long as Sasuke was tall. Behind the stone was a house that didn't looked like it was falling apart or abandoned.

As they got closer, Sasuke saw tears on Miyuki's face. Alarmed, he hurried up to her. "What's wrong?"

She jumped with surprise then managed a watery smile for him. "You're back. Welcome home."

"Why are you crying?" he demanded again, panic digging claws into his heart. He'd only seen her cry once. That time she'd been seriously injured during a mission and ended up in the hospital. She'd cried while asking if it was okay to rely on him. Otherwise, never. Not even a single tear.

Miyuki used her one long sleeve to wipe at the tears. "Sorry. I would have made sure to be home already if I'd known you were coming back today."

Impatience getting the better of him, Sasuke gritted his teeth and said again, "Why are you crying?"

With a sigh, she gestured to the stone. "It's a hard day for me is all, Kid. The anniversary."

"Of what?" He looked at the stone and saw names. Dozens of them engraved into its surface with what he assumed to be either date of birth or death next to each. He didn't see any family names like the memorial stone in the training grounds. Looking at the top, he saw Miyuki's clan name engraved in large letters. Under it was a single date. "Miyuki, what is this?"

"A memorial for my clan," Miyuki answered, reaching out to brush her fingers over the top of the stone.

"Her clan was massacred like yours," Kakashi clarified for him.

Miyuki looked over her shoulder, surprised to see Kakashi there.

"He was looking for you. This is where you are every year on this date," he answered her unspoken question with a shrug.

"I see." She turned her attention back to the stone.

Sasuke looked at the single date under her clan name. It occurred to him that it was today's date seventeen years ago. "That date. Is it…" The words stuck in his throat as so much about her began to make sense. How she always knew what she was thinking. Why she didn't have any family. How she understood his rage and hate.

"Their date of death," she answered quietly. Her voice hitched on the last word. "Like the Uchiha, the Shimizu clan were all slaughtered in one night."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't want to know." She gave him that knowing look that had him looking away from her. "It wasn't like you didn't have plenty of opportunities to ask, Kid. You were too busy focusing on your own nightmares that you avoided mine."

He found himself unable to meet her eyes. She had always been there for him. Keeping the nightmares at bay. Listening to him when he needed to talk. Teaching him how to survive. Training him so that he didn't feel like he was falling behind. And what did he do? Nothing. He never once offered to keep her nightmares at bay and avoided talking about her problems. He'd spent years telling himself to let her deal with her own issues because he had enough of his own.

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he said, "I'm asking now. What happened to them?"

Miyuki searched his expression for something. Looking back at the stone, she began telling him about one of the worst days of her life. "The Shimizu clan was close knit. Whoever wasn't gone on mission would join all the rest of us for dinner." She let out a small chuckle at the memories. "Dinners were always loud as a result. All of us talking at once. Some arguing, others telling jokes or stories. I miss those most really. That night, seventeen years ago today, was a rare one. For once, the entire clan was home. Not a single one on a mission."

Kakashi moved up to stand on her other side. He'd never actually heard the entire story either. He'd known what happened, but he was only a year older than Miyuki. The only reason he'd even known her clan had been killed was because his father mentioned it.

She didn't acknowledge his presence, keeping her eyes on the stone in front of her. "I was only four at the time, so my awareness of everything was sketchy at best. Dinner hadn't started yet, but my brothers and I were waiting in the dining area over there." she gestured down what used to be the road where they could just make out old wooden tables off to one side. "I don't know where or how the fighting started. Only that my brothers were suddenly ushering me to a hidden room within my family home that no one but the clan knew even existed. Both entrances to it were well hidden. So when the door opened, I thought that meant we were safe."

"Who was it?" Sasuke prompted when she stopped talking.

"My uncle. Kenta," she spat the name like it was poison. Rage filled her violet eyes and her hands formed fists. "I was only four years old at the time. When I started forward, asking about my parents, Hikaru held out an arm to stop me. Only then did I realize he was shaking, and he didn't look happy to see Uncle Kenta. He knew. I don't know what gave my uncle away, but Hikaru knew. He was a genin at the time with three months of experience under him already." Her fingers shook as she traced her brother's name. "He ordered us to run. Yuki and Makoto, my other two brothers, obeyed without hesitation. They ran out the back way, taking me with them. I could see Hikaru's and Kenta's shadows on the wall as we ran. Even at four I knew they were fighting. It didn't take long for Uncle Kenta to catch up to us. Yuki told Makoto to keep running with me. He stopped to fight my uncle. Makoto didn't even pause in stride, though I was begging to go help Yuki and check on Hikaru. We made it into one of the bedrooms. Makoto broke a window and shoved me out of it. I turned to help him, but the door to the room burst open. My uncle stood there with a bloody weapon in his hands. Makoto ordered me to run, so I did."

Sasuke wasn't sure what to do so he just stood there, staring at her with what he was sure would be a horrified expression.

"As I ran," she continued after a moment to collect herself again, "I crashed into Lord Third. After much blubbering from me, he managed to figure out what had happened. He sent Anbu to my compound and stayed with me himself. That is probably the only reason I didn't die with my clan. After that night, there was never a time where someone from the Anbu wasn't near my immediate location. At least, until I became a genin. Then it was my jonin trainer that was made responsible for my safety."

"So, when you say you understand me."

"I mean I understand you because I was you, Sasuke." She closed her eyes and cursed the tears that slid down her face. "After that night, hate and rage became my armor. They were how I made it through a day without drowning in my pain. I had only one purpose. Kenta had to pay. He was not going to get away with what he did to my family."

"They didn't catch him that night?"

"No. He got away." Rae opened her eyes to look at him. "I was secretly grateful for that. I wanted to be the one to kill him."

Sasuke couldn't help but look away from her. His fists clenched at his sides. Miyuki knew everything he felt. She felt it too. Right down to being grateful he would get the chance to be the one and kill Itachi. If that were the case, then how she was now was how he could be someday. He would be standing before a stone mourning all that could have been with no one to stand next to him.

She reached down and picked up a bucket that had a rag hanging out of it. It was then that he realized she'd come here to clean the stone. Looking past the stone at the house, he decided she did more than clean the memorial. She repaired and cleaned this one house. It would be the one she'd shared with her brothers then.

"Do you come every year?"

"On the anniversary of their deaths," she answered with a nod. "I can't bring myself to come more than that. It's too much."

"I'll come next year."

Miyuki looked at him with surprise. "You don't have to do that, Kid."

"I know." He met her eyes. "But you won't do this alone anymore. I understand you too."

She smiled at him and ruffled his hair. A gesture he had come to learn over the years meant thank you and that she loved him.

"How about you take her home, Sasuke," Kakashi suggested. "I think she'd had enough of an emotional tailspin for one day."

Nodding, Sasuke took the bucket from her and led the way back home. Kakashi looked at the stone one last time and made a silent prayer for the names on there and the woman who still mourned them. In this moment he could admit he missed Miyuki, but that wasn't enough. Turning, he returned to his own apartment.

Miyuki followed Sasuke silently until they were away from the Shimizu district. Then she asked, "So why were you looking for me?"

He stiffened as he remembered the Land of Waves and the unanswered question. He looked down, trying to think of how to phrase everything. Eventually, he settled for just telling her about the mission from beginning to end, being sure to include those moments of self-sacrifice. He didn't ask her anything. Just waited for what she would say.

Miyuki didn't say anything for a long moment before speaking. "Do you regret protecting them?"

"I…" He paused, thinking about it. Slowly, he said, "No. No, I don't."

"That's good then."

"But if I had died, I wouldn't have been able to avenge my clan," he pointed out.

"That's true, but what's more important, Kid. Making sure no one else you care for dies when you can stop it, or avenging those already dead?"

"Well, if you put it that way." He looked away from her sullenly. She just had to go a make sense. Now it sounded so easy. Like he stressed over nothing.

"Sasuke, we lost everything. Neither of us wants to lose again." She put an arm around his shoulders as they walked. "So, it would be natural when people start to matter for you to instinctively protect them. And even if you never avenge your clan, I think preventing history is way more important."

Sasuke nodded in agreement. Never feeling that kind of pain again should definitely be a priority. Since it was too late to keep his team from mattering, he would just have to protect them.

Over the next few days, Sasuke did his best but Naruto really tested his patience. The blond took exception to everything Sasuke said or did, turning everything into a competition. Miyuki listened to him vent about each and every incident. It helped calm him down a lot. How was he supposed to manage this teamwork thing if Naruto was going to make him into an enemy? Then there was Sakura's annoying focus on him. It wasn't that she wasn't capable. She could be a great kunoichi, if she would train. Instead, she was more worried about impressing him that she missed the mark every time. If she wanted to impress him then she should pay attention to their team and missions, not flirt with him all the time.

Miyuki gave it just a few days before asking him, "Why do you think Naruto is acting this way?"

"How should I know?" Sasuke demanded in frustration. He paced across the floor to use some of his pent up energy.

"Sasuke, Naruto has spent his whole life shut out of everything," Miyuki reminded him.

He stopped pacing to looked at her. She'd used his real name more often in the last few weeks than she had since he met her five years ago.

"Because of this, he acts out so that people don't have a choice but to see him. Sasuke, he's afraid that if he doesn't act the way he does, that you won't acknowledge him. He just wants to be someone you respect and will find worthy of being on your team." She looked out the window, her expression becoming the same as when she'd stood at her clan's memorial. "Give them a chance. We know loss and pain. They may not have the same history, but they both know what it's like to be alone."

Sasuke looked down as he considered what she said. "I'll try."

A few days later, Sasuke walked through the village towards the meeting place for the team. A crowd had gathered in front of one of the shops. If he remembered correctly it was a grocery store. Curious, he walked over to see what was going on. On the ground just outside the shop door was Naruto. The shop owner had fists ready, blocking the entrance and yelling, "You aren't allowed. I can't sell anything you touch, Freak."

For the first time since they became a team, Sasuke watched all the usual exuberant energy Naruto was known for just drain out of him. His eyes were dull and his body shook as if in pain. Sasuke doubted that shop keeper could do enough damage to really hurt Naruto. Without really thinking about it, Sasuke moved forward and said, "Enough. You don't get to call him a freak."

Naruto looked up at him with surprise as Sasuke moved to stand between Naruto and the shopkeeper.

"Not until that kid takes a hint. He's always coming in here and ruining my stock," the shopkeeper shouted, waving a finger at Naruto. "I won't have it."

"He's not 'that kid.' His name is Naruto," Sasuke responded, feeling his own temper rise to the occasion. "And if you insult my teammate one more time, I will make sure to show you what a ruined shop really looks like."

"Sasuke…" Naruto started but he wasn't exactly sure what to say. Then someone had him by the arm and was pulling him up. Looking over, he saw it was Sakura with a concerned look on her face. "Sakura?"

"Are you okay? It's not like you to stay on the ground for long," Sakura said. Her eyes scanned him carefully. Her gaze landed on the red mark on his face. Turning, she glared at the shop keeper. "Why did you hurt him? Naruto can be a pain but he doesn't deserve that."

"I don't want him in my shop," the shopkeeper repeated stubbornly.

"Then I won't shop here," Naruto yelled back, clenching his fists. His previously dull eyes burned again with every little thing he felt. "See if I care. You'll regret it when I'm hokage someday."

As the three of them walked away to the bridge to meet Kakashi, Naruto whispered, "Thanks."

"Only I get to call you names," Sasuke responded calmly. "Loser."

Instead of making him mad like it usually did, Naruto grinned. "Same goes, Jerk."

The two came to an understanding in that moment they hadn't previously had. Sasuke held out a closed fist which Naruto bumped with his own. Sakura smiled at them both as she walked behind them. Finally, Team 7 might actually be a team. All sense of confidence drained out of her when Kakashi told them about the chunin exams and that he'd recommended them. The boys were excited of course. She kept thinking about how she never did much at all during their missions. Sasuke was right, Naruto was better than she was. How could she hope to pass the chunin exams?

* * *

Danzo glowered down at the list of leaf shinobi being recommended for the chunin exams. Team 7 was on that list. "I can't believe the Hokage is allowing that boy and an Uchiha to be chunin."

Standing he moved over to look out his window. Hiruzen would be the ruin of Konoha. Letting a boy full of nothing but hate and the fox become chunin. Well, maybe an old contact could make sure none of that happens. He happened to know someone who would be very interested in an Uchiha after all.


	5. The Chunin Exams

**Ch. 5: Chunin Exams**

The morning they were to meet to register for the chunin exams, Sasuke and Naruto arrived first. Both were surprised when Sakura was late. She walked up slowly with a quiet apology. Sasuke frowned. Something was off about her. What was it? He started to just let it go, then remembered he was trying to be a better teammate.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, his back to her so she couldn't see his expression.

Sakura blinked in surprise then looked away from him. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Sighing, he turned to face her. "Sakura."

It wasn't so much that he asked again but the look in his dark eyes that had her giving in. Despite his exasperated tone, there was worry in his expression. She wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm scared. I don't know if I'm ready. I mean, I am the weakest member of our team."

"But you are the smartest and the best at chakra control," Sasuke reminded her a bit reluctantly. Giving praise wasn't normal for him. "You'll be fine."

"He's right, Sakura. You may not have the raw power we do, but you're definitely smarter. Believe it," Naruto pitched in with his usual grin. "Besides, we won't let you fail. Right, Sasuke?"

Slowly, Sasuke nodded. Strangely enough, it didn't feel so bad letting himself show his concern. Even if it was just a little bit. The way Sakura began to relax certainly helped.

Sakura looked between them with a smile. "Thank you. Let's go."

The three of them walked inside. When the two kids tried to block them from entering, Sakura told the other two that they should just ignore them since it was the wrong room anyway. When questioned, she pointed out that they were only on the second floor and they had to turn in applications to the third floor. One of the ones blocking the door started to attack Sasuke, but the fight was stopped before it even began by a boy named Rock Lee. Sasuke found himself annoyed when Lee tried to flirt with Sakura. Just who did he think he was? Sakura put an end to the whole thing by taking both Sasuke and Naruto by the hand and leading them away. Sasuke noticed that her hand felt warm and let her pull him along without complaint.

Miyuki watched them go down the hall in with a smile of her own. It looked like he would keep his word and try. That was all she could ask. Turning, she made her way home.

About midway through the next day, she received an urgent summons from Lord Sarutobi. Knowing it had to be about Sasuke, she raced as fast as she was able. Once there, she saw Anko sitting among several others. That worried her even more since Anko was supposed to be proctoring the second exam.

"What's going on?" she demanded. For once, she didn't bother pretending indifference.

As Lord Hokage explained the situation to her, her hands began to form fists so tight her nails cut into her palms. Orochimaru, she thought with disgust. If that slime thought he was going to ruin all the effort she'd put into saving Sasuke from the mistakes she had made, he had better think again. Miyuki turned to Lord Hokage. "I want to be there when they reach the tower."

"You're not a part of this exam," one of the chunin argued hotly. Miyuki was still not popular amongst the other shinobi of the leaf.

"That wasn't a request," she snapped back. "It was a demand. I will be there because there is no way I'm going to let Orochimaru within a mile of Sasuke at this point."

Before anyone else could speak, Lord Sarutobi held up a hand for silence. "Very well, Miyuki. Sasuke is in your care after all, so I think it best you be there to defend him now that Orochimaru has his sights on the boy."

Miyuki relaxed. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

Wasting no time, Miyuki made her way to the tower to wait. They were the last team to arrive. She watched them walk into the arena looking haggard and exhausted. Sasuke saw her first and pointed her out to the other two. She waved from her place up on the balcony above the arena. Sakura and Naruto both waved back excitedly. Sasuke's greeting was much more subtle. She noticed changes in them all. The most obvious was Sakura's shorter hair. All three of them seemed closer than they had been before the exams. Each seemed hyper alert to everything around them. Not that she blamed them. If Orochimaru had come after her she might be a little more alert than usual too. Miyuki eyed Sasuke with concern. His eyes met hers then he reached up and touched the back of his left shoulder. With a nod, she let him know she was aware of the situation. He seemed to relax then turned and said something to the other two. Both of them relaxed too. It seemed he has gotten better at communicating with them, Miyuki thought with a smile.

She turned her attention to the Hokage and listened as he explained the next stage of the exam to everyone. Afterwards, they listed the two who would fight first. One was Sasuke. The other was a different leaf genin. Sasuke had a difficult time at first, especially when the curse mark tried to take him over. Miyuki's body went tense as she debated on stepping in. That turned out to be unnecessary as Sasuke managed to fight the mark back himself and still win his fight.

As soon as it was over, Kakashi appeared next to Sasuke and led him away from the arena. As they walked out, the copy ninja looked up at Miyuki and gestured for her to follow him, much to her surprise.

Once they were alone, he explained, "We're going to seal the curse mark Orochimaru placed on Sasuke."

"Good." Miyuki looked down at Sasuke. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yes." He grabbed his shoulder where the curse mark was. "Thanks to Naruto and Sakura. They really came through for me."

She smiled. "I knew they would."

His eyes burned with anger. "Especially Sakura. She…" He looked away. "I never want her to go through that again."

Miyuki ruffled his hair. "Look at you learning so quickly."

He gave her glare, but his heart wasn't in it. He couldn't forget Sakura's tears and how far she went to make sure he was kept safe when both him and Naruto were out cold. The grip he had on his shoulder tightened. He would not let all that be for nothing. Whatever it took, he'd be worthy of Team 7. Naruto wasn't the only one that wanted to be acknowledged. He did too.

"So, am I just here because I'm Sasuke's guardian and you're considerate, or is there something you need from me?" Miyuki asked Kakashi a bit hesitantly. Kakashi hadn't asked her for so much as a penny since that last mission she had with him.

"A little of both. I need someone to stand watch while I cast the seal," Kakashi explained. "It takes a lot of chakra to cast it and I won't be able to fight and do that, should something happen. And even after, I'll be weakened. Since your Sasuke's guardian, I figured you were the best volunteer."

Miyuki wanted to ask him if that meant he trusted her again. It had been five years since he trusted her with his back. She swallowed the words while calling herself a coward and simply nodded. "Very well."

Miyuki didn't even wait for a problem before casting her jutsu. With Orochimaru as their enemy, it was best to be prepared. With quick hand signs she had water condensing out of the air. It gathered and formed a glaive made of ice. Despite what it was made of, her chakra reinforced it, making it as strong as steel and the blade would be sharp enough to cut a feather without much effort. She moved to stand out of Kakashi's way and kept her senses alert for anyone coming. It took all her focus not to turn around when Sasuke cried out in pain. Kakashi had begun the jutsu. As soon as it was over, Orochimaru came out of hiding. It didn't surprise her that she'd been unaware of his approach. He was a sannin after all. Miyuki took her fighting stance and braced herself for a battle.

Orochimaru smirked. "Do you really think you can fight me?"

"No." She was not that stupid. He was a Sannin. She had little to no hope of besting him in a fight. However… Her grip tightened on her weapon. "But I will not let you take him without one. You will only leave here with Sasuke over my dead body."

Orochimaru came forward making Kakashi reinforce what Miyuki had already said as he readied chidori, "If you take another step, Orochimaru, one of us will die here."

Both jonin knew they would probably be ones dying, but that wouldn't stop them from defending Sasuke.

This did not faze Orochimaru. In fact, he laughed. "You can't stop the inevitable. He will come seeking me of his own free will. I can give him power, and he wants that more than anything."

"You think I'll let you take advantage of his rage and hate," Miyuki snapped out, her own rage burning in her eyes. "There's no way I will let you drag him further into the dark."

"Ahh, yes. I know you." Orochimaru met her eyes. "You're the last of the Shimizu clan. Maybe I should recruit you too. That kekkei genkai of yours could be quite useful."

"As if I need you."

"You still want to avenge your clan, don't you? And that rage still simmers in you. I can see it even now."

Miyuki started to laugh without any humor. "You just don't understand."

"It's you that doesn't understand," he replied smoothly. His golden eyes focused on her violet ones. "Then again, I suppose if you do start killing those responsible for your clan's death, the killing wouldn't stop for quite some time."

She felt rage boil through her. "And just what do you mean by that, Orochimaru?"

"Let's just say I'm not the first to think your kekkei genkai would be a useful thing. Do you really think your uncle could kill an entire clan by himself in one night?" Orochimaru gave her a smile that said he knew more than she did. "What a foolish notion. Especially since your father was most gifted of your clan. Kenta didn't have a prayer of beating him on his own."

Trying to force her rage back into the box she kept it locked in these days, she clenched her teeth. "Don't try to make me behave recklessly by using my clan. I learned from my mistakes." Shifting, she pointed the blade end of her glaive at him. "This is about Sasuke."

"There is nothing to discuss then. He'll come to me."

"If you're so sure of that, then leave. You'll see him again soon enough."

He chuckled. "Very well then."

The sannin left and both of them nearly dropped to their knees.

Miyuki let out a long breath. "We are a couple of fools. That was perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life." She looked over at Kakashi. "Make that the second dumbest thing."

He nodded in agreement. "I can't say I'm not relieved he chose not to fight us." Kakashi looked over at her. "Do you think he's right about Sasuke?"

"I don't know. That depends on Sasuke." Miyuki let the ice weapon evaporate away, returning the water back to where she'd got it from. Picking Sasuke up, she turned to face Kakashi. "I will do everything I can to make sure Orochimaru is wrong."

"Are you going to stay in the infirmary with him?"

She nodded. "You should return to your other two students. I'll look after Sasuke."

Kakashi considered her for a moment. He decided not to mention what Orochimaru said about her clan's massacre. Once, he would have asked her and offered comfort, but that was before she made her priorities clear. "You are different than before."

Jerking with surprise, she said, "What do you mean?"

"There was a time you did everything you could not to be responsible for anyone." He looked at the boy she was holding so carefully. "In fact, you were the one that made sure we were all aware that we could not rely on you to save us. Then you proved that you have never been more honest by abandoning our team in the heat of battle."

She looked away from him as guilt filled her.

"It's odd to see you go through all of this for a boy that's not even a part of your clan."

"He and I are the same. Clan or no clan, he is my family now," she answered quietly. "I want to save him from my mistakes so that he won't be standing in front of someone who had once tried to be his friend and feel the way I feel." She hurried past Kakashi. "I should get him to the infirmary now."

She felt Kakashi's gaze on her back as she practically ran. Calling herself a coward again, she let out a relieved breath once she was out of his sight. She still hurried to the infirmary. The medics showed her where Sasuke could rest. She sat next in the window of his room and waited for him to wake. It didn't take long for her to notice the Anbu stationed nearby. Of course Kakashi hadn't trusted her to guard Sasuke. The last time he trusted her it hadn't gone well. Well, she'd take the back up in any case.

Looking out the window, she began to wait. After a couple of hours, she decided it was time to get something to eat. She was on her way back when she sensed a problem. Hurrying, she slipped silently and cautiously up to Sasuke's hospital room. Someone was in there that shouldn't be. She saw that the Anbu were dead on the floor. Kakashi wouldn't like that. Her eyes moved back to the boy standing next to Sasuke. She recognized him. He was one of the genin that had been taking the exam and the adopted son of the chief of the medical core.

She caught the scalpel he'd thrown at her. Stepping into the room, she said, "Getting a little hasty there, aren't you?"

"So, Sasuke's keeper. I should have known you'd be nearby." Kabuto's smile and attitude were all arrogant confidence.

Miyuki carefully kept her expression as neutral as ever. "Yes. You should have." She put a hand on her hip. "I guess this means you're one of Orochimaru's puppets. What a waste of skill."

"As if you care who I use this skill for. Miyuki Shimizu," Kabuto said with a scoff. "I know all about you and how you abandoned a mission. You are the last one to talk about loyalty."

"The most valuable one can make is a mistake. You can't learn from being perfect," Miyuki argued with a shrug. "Now would you kindly step away from the kid so we don't have to resort to violence."

"You think you can do what these Anbu couldn't? You think you can beat me?"

Miyuki moved in and with careful footwork she forced him to step back so she was between him and Sasuke. "Men always seem to think there's only one way to beat a person. I don't have to flatten you, Kabuto. I just have to make sure you stay away from Sasuke."

Kabuto attacked. Miyuki blocked with a hastily formed ice glaive. Shifting, she went on the offensive. Kabuto acknowledged to himself that she was good. She combined her kekkei genkai with her taijutsu, creating a style all her own. With the glaive as her weapon, she had a long and deadly reach. He had no choice but to retreat and quickly. It took some doing, but he managed his escape. He smirked at her as he fell out the window. It occurred to him that despite the fight and the risk to Sasuke, her expression hadn't altered. It remained neutral the entire time. Lord Orochimaru was right about her. The name Ice Queen suited right to her core.

This time Miyuki didn't leave Sasuke's room for anything until Kakashi arrived with Sakura and Naruto in tow. She listened as Kakashi explained the set up for the final portion of the exam. She looked back at the still sleeping Sasuke. "What will you do with him?"

"Train him. He has to improve and quickly."

"What?" Naruto snapped out. "Then who's training me. I'm in the finals too, Kakashi-sensei."

"I know that, but there's more at stake here than whether any of you become chunin."

"But…"

"Naruto," Miyuki spoke quietly. "Have you forgotten what happened to Sasuke in the second exam?"

He sighed. "No." Naruto looked over at Sasuke, concern replacing his indignation. "Will he be okay?"

"We'll see," Kakashi answered. "But I have to train him so that if Orochimaru comes after him again, he'll have a better chance. Don't worry, I'll arrange for your training too. I know someone who can help you with the basics you need."

Grudgingly, Naruto nodded in agreement. He wanted to make sure Sasuke would be safe. That didn't mean he was happy about being trained by someone other than Kakashi. Mostly because there wasn't anyone besides Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei that didn't see him as a monster. Who did Kakashi-sensei think would tolerate him long enough to train him?

"What about Miyuki?"

Everyone turned to look at the bed. Sasuke was sitting up and looking at them.

Miyuki smiled. "So you're awake."

He nodded. "What happens to you?"

"I continue on for the time being," she answered. Crossing her arms, she looked out the window. "The village barely allowed me to take care of you. They certainly won't trust me with Naruto."

"Why?"

Naruto, Miyuki, and Kakashi all looked away from Sasuke and Sakura. Miyuki and Kakashi because it wasn't their secret to tell. Naruto because he was afraid to tell them.

"Because they're afraid I'll turn him into a monster," Miyuki eventually answered. "I am the shinobi that abandoned a very vital mission for our village for her own personal needs, making me scum. To add to my crimes, I abandoned my comrades during a battle, making me worse than scum."

Kakashi looked over at her. He was surprised his words to her the day she'd abandoned the squad stuck with her so thoroughly that she'd repeat them years later.

Sasuke jerked with realization. Miyuki has said that about herself before, and it was Kakashi that told her that. He looked up at her as some emotion he couldn't name filled him. This moment. This was what she'd been spending the last five years trying to save him from. Kakashi was right next to her but he might as well be on the moon for Miyuki. Because of what she'd done, she could only stand next to him and endure his distrust of her because nothing could change it. No apology. No tears. No act. Nothing could make up for what she'd done. So all she'd done since taking him in after his clan's massacre was to keep him from making a similar mistake that he would then have to live with.

"I have someone that will help." Kakashi reiterated, returning to the original topic. He said all he had on this one five years ago. "Providing Naruto will listen to him of course."

"I'll do my best, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto promised a little bummed it would most likely be with someone who hated him.

Miyuki placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Naruto. If you need someone to listen, you can come visit me. Things will be quiet for me while Sasuke is away training anyway."

"Thanks, Miyuki."

"I'll check on you too," Sakura promised. She reached out hesitantly to place a hand on his arm. "Promise."

He gave her one of his goofy grins.

"Then it's decided," Kakashi stated as he handed Sasuke a bag. "Time to go."

Sasuke pushed himself out of bed. When he was about to stumble, Naruto and Sakura were there, holding him up. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. They knew. Once he had his balance again, they stepped back.

Naruto held out a fist. "Don't slack off."

With a smirk, Sasuke bumped Naruto's fist with his own. "Not a chance, loser. I'll make sure to be ready for a fight with you."

"It'll be fun," Naruto agreed.

Miyuki smiled. Once they both wouldn't have called such a match fun. Something in her relaxed a little. Maybe they worried for nothing. Sasuke seemed more than willing to let his team support him. More willing than she'd been at his age anyway. He wasn't nearly as lost in the dark as she'd been. These two would be his light.

"Be careful," Sakura ordered with a firm glare. "The only reason I won't check on you too is because you won't be here to check on."

"I know." His dark eyes moved to her short hair. Never again would she have to go through that. He'd make sure to be strong enough she wouldn't have to fight alone next time.

Sakura's glare turned to a smile. "Good."

Kakashi led both boys out. He wanted to make sure to drop Naruto off with his temporary trainer before leaving with Sasuke.

Once they were gone, Miyuki started to leave. When she heard Sakura calling her name, she paused and turned to see what the kunoichi wanted.

"Sorry. I just…" Sakura hesitated. "Can I train with you?"

Miyuki's eyes widened with surprise. "What? Sakura, we just covered that no one will approve of that."

"I don't care. I may not be in the finals of the exam but I have to get better if I'm going to help them both. Especially Sasuke. You can help me with that." Sakura clenched her fists. "Please."

Sighing, Miyuki nodded. "As you wish."

Training with Sakura kept Miyuki busy, so she didn't worry nearly as much during the next month. Before they knew it, the time for the finals had come and everyone was making their way to the arena to watch. Miyuki sat next to Sakura and Ino. Ino, like most of the shinobi of the leaf, eyed Miyuki suspiciously. She knew all about the Ice Queen and what she'd done. Her father had told her. Still, Sakura was stressed enough about Sasuke's absence that Ino didn't want to add to it by questioning Miyuki. So, she kept her peace and watched fights. Naruto surprised everyone by winning against the Hyuga prodigy. They chose to skip Sasuke's match for the time being since he was late. Sakura cursed Kakashi for not getting Sasuke here in time. Miyuki merely shook her head, hiding her amusement. Though, really, nothing about this exam was going the way anyone expected it too. Kankuro forfeited his match. Shikamaru ended up quitting just as he'd won. Miyuki found that the most impressive. Someone with a cool head would make an excellent squad leader. Then Sasuke finally showed up for his match after being just seconds away from disqualification. Miyuki shook her head at Kakashi's sheepish look. Soon, only Sasuke, Gaara, and the proctor were in the arena. The fight began.


	6. Miyuki's Mistake

**Ch. 6: Miyuki's Mistake**

As Miyuki watched Sasuke and Gaara stand across from each other. The fight had been an epic one thus far. Both of them were determined it seemed. Then something changed in Gaara after receiving an injury. She felt the power that dwelled in that young boy. Like Naruto. She stood suddenly when she felt the genjutsu start. Pulling on her chakra, she released herself. Her eyes scanned the area looking for the enemy. When she saw the Kazekage capture the Hokage, Miyuki's eyes narrowed. So the sand has betrayed the leaf. She looked down at the ring and saw that the genin from the sand had taken off and Sasuke went after them. She hurried down to the arena only to be stopped by Baki, the sand genin's instructor. Her eyes narrowed as she created an ice glaive.

"So, I battle the Ice Queen now," Baki stated as he prepared for a fight.

Miyuki looked over at the chunin proctor. He had been knocked to the ground at some point during his own fight with Baki. This sand jonin wasn't a pushover. Shifting, she dodged left when Baki attacked her.

"You should stay focused on the enemy before you," he reminded her.

Miyuki didn't respond. Really, there was nothing to say. They were way past the point where words would change anything. Moving forward, she slashed through the air with her glaive. With a quick shift of her grip, she rammed the butt of the staff end back, slamming Baki in the gut when he'd tried to sneak up on her after dodging her blade end. He performed a jutsu that obscured her vision. Then five other sand nin were there, ready to take her on. Cursing them for delaying her, Miyuki accepted she wouldn't be able to go after Sasuke and help him. Not until she dealt with all these sand nin. Well, no point in worrying about it. Sasuke was well trained and she had no doubt Kakashi was making arrangement for his back up.

The fight raged for what felt like an eternity. She attacked and defended. It was on the edge of her mind to let out a prayer for Sasuke and the others to be safe. She hadn't prayed much. Not since she was four years old and her family was slaughtered. The massacre of everyone she loved made her decide that there wasn't a listening god looking out for them. She had only her own strength to rely on. No one would save her. She had to save herself. So she trained until she couldn't day in and day out. This way, she wouldn't need someone to save her ever again. Strength would also allow her to make her uncle pay for what he did. Also next time…that was the part she wanted Sasuke to learn. More like relearn. It was the part she forgot until it was too late. If she had only remembered that last reason for wanting strength, she would have saved herself a lot of heartache.

Her grip tightened as her weapon shifted into a fan so she could catch a sword as an enemy tried to pierce her with it. Folding the fan closed over the blade, she flipped the sword out of their hand. Shifting the ice weapon again, she held her glaive and sliced through him. She couldn't die here. Not until she told Sasuke the rest. Not until he remembered the other reason he sought power. She knew as well as she knew herself that he had it too. Just like she did. She just had to remind him. Until then, she couldn't afford to lose.

All around her, she could hear the clash of weapons. Pain sliced through her as an enemy got in a hit. Shifting, she made sure they paid for their good aim. She hoped this didn't keep up for much longer. The genin were still out there somewhere fighting. She wanted to check on Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura were all he had. She couldn't let them be taken from the Kid. Which meant she needed this fighting to stop so she could go check on them all. She blew her bangs out of her face as she glared at Baki. It was the only expression she was willing to let slip at the moment.

He shifted. "You are as good as the rumors say you are. What is your real name?"

"Miyuki Shimizu," she answered, keeping her tone blank of all emotions.

"Miyuki means deep snow, right?"

She nodded.

"It suits you as well as Ice Queen then." He watched her carefully. "It's too bad you're of Konoha. You are an asset to your village. The sand would have benefited greatly from a shinobi like you."

"Maybe, but I have a home and people I need to protect here." She narrowed her eyes. "The sand will just have to make do with you."

Then Kakashi was there next to her with Guy and several others. Kabuto joined Baki. Miyuki readied for more fighting. The shield that had blocked off access to the battle between Orochimaru and Lord Third disappeared and sound nin fled with Orochimaru. Miyuki watched as Baki and Kabuto retreated. The fight was over, but the cost had been dear. Everyone headed up to Lord Hokage. Miyuki felt the agony of his death deep in her soul. Her hand gripped her ice glaive tighter in grief and anger. All this and she still wasn't strong enough. Shifting, she took off after Sasuke and the kids. If she hurried, she might still be able to protect them at least. Footsteps behind her had her glancing back. Kakashi and Guy were right behind her.

The three jonin found Team 7 in the middle of the forest. Sasuke stood over the unconscious Naruto and Sakura ready to defend them. The moment he saw the jonin his body began to shake.

"Finally," he managed as he stumbled. "Don't know…if I could…hold out much longer."

Miyuki caught him before he hit the ground. "Poor kid. He's got nothing left."

"None of them do," Kakashi agreed with a shake of his head.

She lifted Sasuke. "He pushed it too far. The curse mark activated at some point."

"Stubborn fool," Kakashi muttered as he picked up Naruto.

Guy lifted Sakura. "Well, he did want to protect someone and that sometimes means to push beyond what you should."

"That is a good sign for his future at least," Kakashi agreed, looking at Sasuke with a glimmer of hope.

They took the genin back to the village to get them treatment. The next day, the entire village stood to honor those who died during the battle. Miyuki only let her tears fall once the rain started to hide them. The Old Man had been the only one that hadn't given up on her after that last mission with her Anbu team. As she lay a flower with the others, she whispered, "Thank you for saving me, Lord Sarutobi."

Sasuke was very quiet for days after the funeral. She knew he was doing a lot of thinking and planning. Having Naruto be the one to save the day had a great impact on him. Still, his respect for his team seemed to keep him from being too sullen. Just thoughtful. Maybe with an undertone of concern. She let him think in peace. When he was ready, he'd talk to her. He always did.

As she walked through the village, she sensed it. The fight. She ran to see what was going on. When she saw Kakashi standing in front of someone looking like he was in agony, her eyes narrowed. Not this time. She wouldn't let anyone hurt him this time. A smirk formed on her face. And look at that they were fighting on her element. With a few hand signs, she had water coming up from the river and forming her usual ice glaive. Shifting, she brought it down on top of Itachi's head. The sharingan prodigy dodged. He turned and faced her.

"So, Miyuki has come to join the battle," he said quietly.

She didn't meet his eyes. She knew better. The sharingan's power. She may not be the taijutsu master that Guy was, but she was better than most since her style relied on tiajutsu. "Of course. You deserve no less than our best, Itachi. Especially after what you did." How she wished she could meet his gaze just to see what he was thinking. Not that she'd ever been able to tell before. "Shall we?"

"Ooh, did you say Miyuki? As in Miyuki Shimizu, the leaf's Ice Queen?" Kisame asked with great interest. "I always wanted to challenge her. I'd like to know how her ice would fair against my water."

He started to attack, but Miyuki shifted her body, with a change in the ice she held, her glaive became a sword heavy enough to block Kisame's. The chipped a little but didn't break.

"Impressive. I expected it to shatter," Kisame said as he maintained pressure behind the sword, forcing Miyuki to keep blocking him.

"It did chip if that makes you feel better."

She shifted so his sword slid off the end of hers, allowing her to move again. Mid swing, she transformed it back to the glaive she preferred and aimed for his midsection. Kisame dodge to the side. He actually looked like he was enjoying himself. If it weren't for the stakes, she might enjoy fighting him too, she supposed. Her eyes darted back to Itachi. Whatever he had done to Kakashi had severely damaged the copy ninja. Her eyes narrowed as the rage and hate she'd thought contained flared back to life. How dare they? Itachi raced to attack the other three leaf shinobi. When she tried to go stop him, Kisame attacked her again.

"Kakashi," she snapped out, fear gripping her.

Then Guy was there. She'd never been more relieved to see him. With his arrival, Itachi and Kisame retreated. Miyuki's brow furrowed in confusion. Why did they run? Deciding it was more important to take care of Kakashi, Miyuki let them go without giving chase. Once the jonin were all in Kakashi's home, looking after the unconscious copy ninja, Miyuki demanded answers, which Asuma provided for both her and Guy. Her entire body went tense when Sasuke came in looking for Kakashi. They managed not to tell him what happened. Well, at least Guy gave a clumsy answer to Sasuke's demanded questions. Before Miyuki could give a better one, another shinobi burst into the room and blabbed. The moron.

Sasuke took off before anyone could stop him.

Miyuki stood and moved in front of the big mouth. Drawing back a fist, she hit him right in the jaw. "You idiot!"

Then, she hurried after Sasuke. Please, she begged silently. Please don't let me be too late. She reached the building where Sasuke was fighting Itachi just in time to slam a fist into Itachi's face to get him away from Sasuke. He hit a wall. Kisame moved to take her on, she dodged and stood between him and Sasuke.

"Naruto, get behind me, now."

"But…"

"Now!" she shouted again.

Naruto didn't argue a second time. By now, Itachi had pushed himself to his feet. He eyed Miyuki with interest. "So, you've changed. Instead of leaving comrades, you are finding them."

"Not all of us stay the same, Itachi. You should know that better than anyone as the one that changed the most." Miyuki forced herself to keep her blank expression in place. It wouldn't do to let her emotions get the best of her now. "I could barely believe what I heard when they told me what you did. How could you do that to Sasuke? You knew what it would turn him into. You saw what it did to me. It would have been better if you'd killed him too then to force him to live with this."

She thought she saw something flicker through his face before it was gone. Maybe she imagined it. Before the two could attack, Jiraiya was there and chased them away. Miyuki took Sasuke back to Konoha for medical treatment while Naruto and Jiraiya continued on their way to retrieve Tsunade. She just hoped it wouldn't take too long. Both the people who mattered most to her were now out cold and there was nothing she could do about it but wait. She didn't leave the hospital, staying either in Kakashi's or Sasuke's room. Generally, Sakura was waiting with Sasuke so the two kunoichi would keep each other company.

"Miyuki?"

She looked over at Sakura curiously.

"Kakashi-sensei and you. There's a history there."

"Yes," Miyuki agreed, looking at Sasuke. "Did you ever hear about what happened to my clan?"

She nodded her head, looking up at the older woman. "I know they were all killed. I heard someone talking about it once."

"Yes, well, I made many mistakes because of the rage and hate and pain that night created in me." Miyuki wrapped her arms around herself, trying to contain the simmering emotions she kept buried. "Just like Sasuke. His clan was killed by his brother, Itachi."

Sakura's eyes went wide. "I knew they'd been killed but I hadn't realized that it was his own brother."

"It's why Sasuke is the way he is. That one moment defined his entire being." Miyuki moved to the window so she could look in the direction of her family's memorial. "Anyway, like Sasuke, after my clan was killed, I became driven. I sought power and strength by any means necessary. It was the only way to make sure their murderer paid. I was going to catch their killer and I was going to kill him. So I trained. I fought. I bled. I didn't pay attention to anything else. Nothing else mattered but that one goal. I made Anbu when I was fourteen." She gave a humorless chuckle. "That's when I met Kakashi. He had his own issues at the time, but whatever they were, he decided mine were more important. You know how he is about comrades. He can't just leave it alone. He pestered. He talked. He comforted." Her violet eyes went soft. "I fought any attachments to the world. I didn't want them. They would only slow me down. At least so I told myself. He was just as determined to prove me wrong. I found myself softening despite myself simply because he refused to give up."

"The why are you two so…" Sakura couldn't think of a word to describe the tension she felt when Kakashi and Miyuki were in the same room.

"You know what I did. The last mission I carried out with a squad I abandoned them and one died. No one can say if my presence would have saved him, but now we'll never know. I broke the rules. So I'm scum. Worse to Kakashi, I abandoned my comrades. So, I'm worse than scum." She looked over to meet Sakura's eyes. "I did the one thing Kakashi can't forgive. He takes his responsibilities to his team very seriously, so when someone dies under his command, he takes it hard. I knew that, but the soft spot I had for him couldn't compete with my rage and hate."

Sakura looked at Sasuke. "And Sasuke?"

"He's still fighting his hate. I just hope he wins."

It took a few more days for Jiraiya and Naruto to return with the third of the legendary sanin. The first thing Tsunade did was come to the hospital to mend Sasuke, much to everyone's relief. Sakura cried from it and couldn't help but hug him. Miyuki smiled at the two of them. She saw Naruto smile too. "You okay, Naruto?"

He nodded. "I'm happy he's okay. I don't like it when they're hurt or sad." He looked down for a moment. "This team and Iruka, they're the only family I've ever had."

She reached out and ruffled his hair. "How lucky are you to have such a family then."

He laughed and nodded. "Okay. Time to take care of Kakashi-sensei, Granny."

"Right." Tsunade looked at Miyuki. "Are you coming with us? If I remember correctly, Kakashi and you were close once."

"No." She looked away. "I ruined that. He won't want to see me."

Sasuke looked at her then hesitantly placed an arm around Sakura. His eyes moved to Naruto. "I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough to help you."

"That's fair," the blond responded. "I wasn't strong enough to save you either." His blue eyes burned with determination. He would never forget that moment of helplessness when all he could do was watch while his friend screamed in pain. "Next time, we won't be so weak."

Sasuke nodded in agreement.

In the days that followed, the village remained a hub of activity as Tsunade mended the wounded and began dealing with the repercussions of the attack from Orochimaru. Miyuki kept a careful eye on Sauske's recovery.

The young Uchiha was in turmoil. All that training and Itachi still won. Not just won, won by a landslide. Maybe what he was doing wasn't enough. If that was the case, how else was he going to get better? He was missing something. What damn it? He had to get stronger no matter what. Nothing was more important. His clan deserved vengeance.

"Hello, Sasuke."

He looked up to see Kakashi standing in front of him.

"You look upset."

"I wasn't good enough." The hate and rage were so powerful Sasuke couldn't keep them out of his tone. "Everything here just keeps making me soft."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Kakashi tilted his head as if confused.

"You wouldn't understand." Sasuke pushed to his feet. With each word his frustration built until he was yelling. "How about I kill everyone important to you and see how you feel about it. Then maybe you would get it."

Kakashi remained calm as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "That might be a good idea if not for one thing." He managed a smile. "Everyone like that for me is already dead."

The fire in Sasuke snuffed out suddenly as he stared at Kakashi.

"My father committed suicide. My best friend died saving my life on a mission. I was forced to kill another teammate when another village made her a host of a tailed beast to use against Konoha. She jumped in front of one my attacks, leaving me no choice." Kakashi closed his eyes a moment against the pain and memory of Rin's death. Somewhere inside, he was still angry at her for doing that to him. And angry at himself for not being strong enough to stop it. "So, you see. I already know. You aren't the only one that's lost everything before, Sasuke. You know that better than anyone knowing Miyuki."

Sasuke looked down in thought.

"But lucky for you and I, we found someone to fill the void of our lives."

Miyuki stood below them on the ground squashing her guilt down. She'd only added to Kakashi's pain and loss. Clenching the handle of the bucket in her hand, she decided it was time to tell Sasuke the rest. His future could still be saved. "I'll take him from here, Kakashi."

Sasuke looked down and noticed she was carrying a bucket and rag. Why would she have that? It wasn't the anniversary of her clan's death today. Warily, he asked, "Are you going to lecture me too?"

"Not unless you ask me to." Ironic, she thought, that today was the anniversary of the day she lit the match on her life when he was sitting there deciding whether to light his own match. "I need your help with something. I've done it alone for years. I was hoping you'd let me rely on you for this year."

He blinked at her and slowly nodded his head. She rarely asked him for anything. Going inside his room, Sasuke quickly changed as he'd been sitting in that tree in just a shirt and shorts. He wasn't even wearing shoes at the moment.

While they waited, Kakashi jumped down from the tree to consider her. "What next, Miyuki?"

"There is no next for me anymore, Kakashi," she answered, keeping her eyes averted. "I have nothing but the kid. For what it's worth, I promise to do my best to make sure he'll have a better answer when asked."

Sasuke came outside again dressed in his ninja garb. Gesturing, she took off with him right behind her. Miyuki led him to the graveyard. She set the bucket down and knelt in front of a particular stone. Sasuke waited, wondering just what she was thinking. Her expression was blank even to him now. Except those eyes, but for the life of him he couldn't tell what he saw there.

"Who is it?" he asked finally.

"His name was Akito. He was on my Anbu squad." She reached out and traced the letters. "This is the anniversary of his death."

"Why are you here?"

"This is the shinobi that died on that last mission I was on with Kakashi and our Anbu squad." Her eyes stayed on the stone as she began to clean it. "When we were on the squad together, I barely knew anything about him. Now I can tell you every detail of his life. This…being here is harder even than standing in front of my clan's memorial."

Sasuke stared. "How could this be harder?"

"This I am responsible for. My choices did this." She looked up at him, dropping the rag back in the bucket. "In one moment, I threw away everything I had. A man I grew to love. A squad I was coming to trust. A job that meant something. Everything. Because it couldn't compete with my hate. And because of that, this shinobi died when I may have been able to save him."

He looked away from her.

She stared at the stone again. This was a moment of truth for him she hoped. Only one way to find out. "Sasuke, tell me something. Why do you want to become stronger?"

"To kill Itachi," he answered without hesitation.

"Is that the only reason?"

"What other reason would there be?"

She gave him that sad smile. "There is. One I'd forgotten until after that last fateful mission. You apparently have too." Standing, she placed her hands on her hips to face down Sasuke. She started by asking him the same thing Kakashi asked her both back then and today. "What next?"

"I train."

"No, I mean what comes after Itachi? You got all this power, what are you going to do with it?"

"I don't care," he shouted, closing eyes and clenching fists.

"Sasuke, don't repeat my mistakes."

"Maybe I just have more resolve than you do." His eyes snapped open to glare at her. "Just because you don't have what it takes to kill your uncle doesn't mean I should just walk away from Itachi. If you caught him maybe you wouldn't feel the way you do about your supposed mistakes."

Miyuki began to laugh but there was no humor in it. "Sasuke, has it ever once occurred to you to ask why I would abandon a critical mission in the first place?"

He froze. Really, he had assumed she saw it as a losing battle and ran to survive so that she would still be alive to kill her uncle. Like he had said to her after getting back from the Land of Waves, how was he supposed to avenge his clan if he died? He figured it was a similar thing for her during that mission. First he was wrong about Kakashi understanding him. Now he was wrong about Miyuki's resolve.

She stood and pointed to the grave right next to Akito's. "Look there."

Slowly, he walked over and looked down at the name. Kenta Shimizu.

"Notice the date of death?"

"Today, five years ago." His eyes moved to her, wide with realization. "You found him."

"He was there that day. I didn't know because he was wearing an Anbu mask, but it fell off during the fight. One of the comrades I'd been fighting alongside had been the monster that took everything from me." Her voice was hard, and her eyes burned with everything he knew burned in him. Rage. Hate. Pain. "I didn't care about anything else. I went after him. He realized that I'd seen him and ran for it. I wasn't going to let him get away. I didn't let him get away."

Sasuke looked at the stone again.

"So, you're wrong. I did have the resolve. I threw everything away for the chance to kill him. I succeeded." Miyuki moved to stand next to him. "And then nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that. I didn't know what to do next. I killed him but I still had no answers. I don't know why. I don't know what he was doing in an Anbu mask. I don't even know if he'd been hiding under my nose the entire time. Exhausted and emotionally drained, I returned to the squad to find they'd failed our mission, which was to recover stolen information critical to the safety of our village by the way, Akito was dead. Everyone, including Kakashi, was badly wounded. He needed medical attention immediately. When I started to go help him, Kakashi gave me the coldest look I'd ever seen. I'd crossed the only line he'd drawn. I abandoned my comrades." Miyuki closed her eyes. "I realized too late just what I'd thrown away. During the time he'd kept trying to save me from myself, I'd become very attached to Kakashi. Now, he'll barely look at me."

Sasuke's fists unclenched as he watched tears slide down her face.

"After that, I lost the will to live. Lord Third wouldn't let me go on any missions, afraid I'd do something stupid. He was probably right. I had no purpose. No one to care if I lived or died. My life held no meaning anymore. So, you see, I got my revenge. However, I killed myself in process." She opened her eyes to look at him again. "I can't undo what's been done. You still have a chance, Sasuke, to make a different decision that I did."

"I can't just let him keep living."

"I never said not to kill Itachi." She turned to face him fully. "But, don't throw everything away for it. Otherwise, you'll lose everyone for a second time, and like me, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

He looked at her uncle's gravestone. "Can I do both?"

"I honestly don't know." She reached out and brushed a hand over the gravestone. "But, it's not worth it to throw away what you have right now. Sasuke, I lost everything, just like you. Just like you, I dedicated my life to hunting down the monster that took it from me. If you continue to follow the same path I did, you will end up right where I am, standing in front of grave regretting every step you ever took." She turned away from him. "The choice is yours. I will neither stop you nor get in your way. Who am I to judge after all? But I do want you to consider the answers to the two questions I asked. Why do you want to be strong and what will you do next?"

"To kill him," he repeated stubbornly, though less certain than he'd been before. "What comes next doesn't matter."

"That's the hate and rage talking. There is another answer. Yes, I wanted power so that I could stop Kenta. But I also wanted it so that I could fight to protect what mattered. Next time, no one will be able to take everything from me again." She began to walk away. "Isn't that true for you too, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes widened for a moment. All those times, big and small, that he'd jumped between his team and danger flashed through his mind. He spun around to face her. "Miyuki?"

She paused.

"Do you regret killing him? Your uncle?"

"No. That is not my regret. I'd kill him again in a heartbeat." She looked over her shoulder at him. "What I regret is what I threw away to kill him."

Sasuke stared at the two gravestones that marked the day Miyuki lost everything for a second time. Kneeling, he grabbed the rag out of the bucket and cleaned Kenta's. Once he was done, he stayed there lost in thought. On his way home, he ran into Sakura. Her eyes held a knowing look as she watched him.

He didn't say anything, just stopped to wait on what she would say.

"You're thinking about it aren't you?" she asked him quietly. "Pushing us away? As far away as you can."

Sasuke sighed and kept walking.

"I love you, you know," she told him, making him stop in his tracks. She spun around and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his back. "I know you think it's silly and that I'm annoying, but I do love you. The way your amusement only shows in your eyes and a hint of smile. How you never stop trying. That whenever we're in trouble you're the first to jump in to defend. I even love that you enjoy a good challenge even if you might lose. Maybe even especially then because then you know how much growing you still have to do. Even the fact that you call me annoying as a way to pretend I don't matter."

Sasuke closed his eyes thinking of what Miyuki said. 'I realized too late just what I'd thrown away. During the time he'd kept trying to save me from myself, I'd become very attached to Kakashi. Now, he'll barely look at me.' Reaching up he covered Sakura's hands with his and whispered, "You are so annoying."

She chuckled through a sob. "You can call me whatever you want as long as you never make me call you the enemy."

He shifted to pull away from her so he could see her face.

"I do understand, Sasuke. I know that you don't think so because no one's killed anyone I love, but I do. You may not have died, but when Orochimaru hurt you." Sakura began to shake, and he saw a familiar rage in her eyes. "I could have torn him apart with my bare hands without regret if I'd been able."

Somehow, with that rage in her eyes, he believed her.

"I will do whatever it takes to make sure no one can hurt you again. I'll get stronger so you can rely on me. I know Naruto feels the same. So please." She hated that she started to cry again. "Please don't shut us out."

Miyuki's question danced through his head. Why did he seek power? Reaching up and cupped her face to wipe away her tears. Every time he'd been hurt, she cried for him. He never told her how much it meant to him that she would do that for him. His eyes drifted to her hair, shorter now than he'd seen it in a long time. The anger at what she suffered protecting him and Naruto resurfaced. Miyuki had been right. He had forgotten there was another reason for the power he sought. Even if he never avenged his clan, if that power allowed him to make sure she never had to cry again it would be enough. If that power kept Naruto alive and out of the Akatsuki's hands then he would have no regrets. That power he wanted would keep those like Itachi from taking anyone from him ever again.

He allowed his lips to curve into a smirk. "As if I would have any luck with that. The two of you are the most stubborn people I've ever met. You'd chase me down and drag me back if you had to."

Sakura's eyes widened for a moment then she smiled at him. "We might even have a chance of out stubborning you if we work together."

"Hard to argue," he agreed. He gestured for her to follow him. "Let me walk you home, Sakura."

She nodded and followed him.

From her perch on the roof, Miyuki smiled. It would seem he would be okay after all.


	7. Training Begins

**Ch. 7: Training Begins**

Sasuke glared at the four sound nin across from him while holding his shoulder bearing the curse mark in agony. They had just handed his ass to him on a platter. Damn that Orochimaru. Just when he'd finally come to a decision. The torment was finally over and now that sannin had to throw a wrench into his life. He clenched fists. No. He wouldn't just roll over and let someone else run his life. Turning he ran for home. Throwing open the door, he saw Miyuki sitting at the table sipping tea.

"Miyuki, Orochimaru. He…"

"Tried to talk you into joining again," she stated, putting her cup down.

"Yes." He found her lack of reaction a bit annoying. "Nice to see you're so concerned."

"I would be if I thought you would do it." Miyuki stood and ruffled his hair. "But, instead you came to seek help. So, let's go talk with the Hokage. Between us I'm sure we'll come up with something that will help with that curse mark Orochimaru put on you."

He nodded and followed her out. Miyuki led him to the Hokage who they quickly filled in on the visit he had from the sound nin. Lady Tsunade listened carefully then smiled. "I think joining Orochimaru would be a great idea for you."

"What?!" Sasuke and Miyuki shouted together.

Tsunade sat back. "Your loyalty would remain to Konoha after all. Then you would get what you need to control that mark. Added to that, we get a spy among Orochimaru's people. Someone who can warn us if he tries something like the chunin exams again. Jiraiya managed to find that he took on a different vassal so it'll be another three years before you have to worry about him trying to take over your body." Her eyes met Sasuke's. "Of course, the choice is yours. If you don't think you can handle it, then you don't have to. We can manage."

Sasuke looked down as he thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. I almost went. If not for Miyuki, I probably would have. She was the only one who knew exactly what to say."

"Happens when you share pain. That's why Naruto could save Gaara," Tsunade pointed out.

He nodded slowly. "I don't know if I trust myself."

"You'll be fine," Miyuki told him.

"You think so?" He looked up at her.

"I know so. You're a smart kid. You may have let the hate get the better of you for a moment, but you won't more than once."

Miyuki's confidence helped boost his own. He nodded. "Okay, but I want Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto to know the truth. I can't…" He closed his eyes then opened them again. "I can't let them think I betrayed them. Not after all they've done for me."

"Fair enough. But don't tell anyone else. We can't risk Orochimaru hearing. I don't even like that you are telling them. Two can keep a secret if one is dead after all, so no one else." Tsunade shooed them away. "Now get moving. Wouldn't want Orochimaru to get suspicious because you took too long."

Once outside, Sasuke said a little hesitantly, "I can go get Kakashi if you want to grab Sakura." He hadn't forgotten the pain being near Kakashi brought Miyuki. "We can meet back up at Naruto's."

Miyuki shook her head. "I'll send Sakura to Naruto if you like but I'd rather not be near Kakashi." She looked away in shame. "Unless you need me there, the fewer times I have to face Kakashi, the better."

"Miyuki, do you…About Kakashi-sensei…"

She shook her head. "Let it go, Sasuke. I have learned to accept the consequence of my actions." Giving him a reassuring smile, she said, "I'm just glad you aren't making the same mistakes I did. Now, I'm off to send Sakura to Naruto's."

With a wave she hurried off. After she was out of sight, Miyuki took a moment to breathe. Reminding herself it was too late for regrets, she shoved all the surging feelings she had for Kakashi aside. Straightening she shook her head. Oh, well. What's done is done. At least she'd been able to save Sasuke from this. Hurrying, she made her way to Sakura's balcony and gently tapped on the glass.

Sakura stirred, when she saw Miyuki at the window, she jumped up and yanked the door open. "Miyuki? Is something wrong? Is Sasuke okay?"

"Easy, Sakura. Relax. Everything is fine." Miyuki held up her hands palms out. "Something has come up that Sasuke wants to talk to you all about."

"Oh." Sakura relaxed a little. "He's okay though, right?"

Miyuki's eyes softened. "He's fine." She tilted her head. "Though, you can help him with the biggest concern he has."

"What concern? How?"

"I leave him to tell you the details, but he's been given a mission. He's afraid of his own…" Miyuki tapped her chin, trying to think of the right wording. "…Of his hate getting the better of him when you and Naruto aren't there to show him the way anymore."

Sakura couldn't for the life of her think of why she and Naruto wouldn't be there, but set it aside for now. Miyuki said Sasuke would explain. Hurrying to get dressed, she finished pulling on her shoes while asking, "How can I help?"

Miyuki put an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Come with me and I'll tell you."

She guided Sakura through the steps necessary then walked with her to Naruto's door. Turning and walking back down the hall, she said, "Okay, here is where I leave you."

"You're not coming inside?"

Miyuki stopped. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not. Have a good night, Sakura."

Sakura watched her walk down the stairs then knocked on Naruto's door. Sasuke was the one who answered it. He looked relieved to see her. She smiled in greeting. "Hello, Sasuke. Miyuki said you wanted to talk."

He nodded and stepped aside so she could enter. Kakashi and Naruto were there too. Everyone sat around Naruto's table and listened as Sasuke explained what happened earlier that night then Tsunade's plan to handle the situation. He laced his fingers together and clenched his hands when he finished the story with, "The only thing that makes me nervous is losing myself to the rage and hate again. I've only just found my way. What if I lose it again?"

"Don't be stupid," Naruto said before anyone else could speak. His tone full of confidence as he gave Sasuke one of his grins. "The most annoying thing about you is that you learn fast. Now that you found your way, there's no way you'll be stupid enough to lose it again."

Sakura sighed but gave Sasuke a reassuring smile. "I don't know that I would say it the same way Naruto did, but he's right. You're too good at what you do to slip that easily." She hesitated for only a moment before pulling out one of her kunai. Thanks to Miyuki's suggestion it had a pink bandage around the handle instead of a white one. Engraved into one side was the number seven. She held it out to him. "But, if it makes you feel better, take this with you."

He tilted his head in confusion as he accepted the gift.

"It was Miyuki's idea," Sakura explained. "That's the kunai I had to cut my hair with, which is why the pink bandage. The number is obviously our squad number. It's something small and inconspicuous, so no one but you will know what it means. This way, they won't realize that it's a lifeline of sorts. Something tangible you can touch when you feel like you're slipping."

He put the new kunai in the pouch with his others. "Sakura, thank you."

She beamed at him as she waved her hands in front of her. "Like I said, it was Miyuki's idea."

"It will help. And I doubt she thought of the kunai you cut your hair with on her own since she didn't know about that particular detail. I hadn't had a chance to tell her yet."

Sakura shook her head. "No, that was my suggestion. The tricky part was coming up with something that wouldn't be suspicious to others. That way, you could carry it safely without blowing your cover."

"It was a good one," Kakashi agreed. "All shinobi carry kunai and the color and engraving could be for any reason. He could simply say it relates to his family somehow."

"It wouldn't be a lie exactly," Sasuke agreed. "Just not the family they'll think of."

"You'll be fine," Naruto repeated. "Just don't let that snake take over your body."

"We'll extract Sasuke before that happens," Kakashi reassured everyone. "We just need Orochimaru so Sasuke can get control of that curse mark."

"I'm sure the training will be good too," Sakura said with a smile.

"Might as well get some use out of the sannin," Kakashi agreed.

"Okay, but you can't tell anyone else. I mean, Miyuki knows, but the Hokage would only let me tell you three otherwise. And that was only because I wouldn't go unless I could." Sasuke looked away from them. He was still uncomfortable admitting how much they mattered. "I couldn't let you think I would betray you like that."

Sakura stood and walked around the table to hug him around the shoulders. "I won't say it will be easy for us to tolerate what the others will say about you, but we would never do anything to endanger you." She stepped away and smiled at him. "We wouldn't want someone with a big mouth to even hint to Orochimaru that you aren't on his side."

So much emotion welled up in him that he couldn't put it into words, so he simply nodded.

Naruto held out a fist. "You get stronger. That way, next time, Itachi will be the one in agony."

Sasuke bumped Naruto's fist with his own. "Right. Try to keep up with me, loser."

"You bet." Naruto grinned to hide his own anger when he thought of what Itachi had done to his friend both as a child and just a few weeks ago. He'd get stronger. That way he wouldn't be useless the next time someone threatened a friend of his.

Kakashi placed a hand on his head. "I'm proud of you, Sasuke."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei." He hesitated then blurted out, "I need a favor, sensei."

"Oh? What would that be?"

"Miyuki. I…" He blew out a breath. "Look after her while I'm away? I won't be able to keep my promise to help her on the anniversary every year. I'll also worry about her less if I know someone is looking after her."

Kakashi's single eye widened. "Sasuke…"

"Please. I…she's the reason I didn't get lost. She made sure to keep me on track." Sasuke clenched fists at his side. "Every time I started to stray, she'd guide me back. Remind me that she knew exactly what I'd been through and what would happen if I wasn't careful. If not for her, I wouldn't be going with Orochimaru as a spy. I'd be going to join him for real. I owe her everything. If something happens to her when I'm not here…" He closed his eyes and an image of her in that hospital five years ago flashed through his mind. It was hardly the last time she'd been severely wounded. But it being the first time he had cared about her made it stand out. "I don't think I could ever forgive myself for leaving. Please, Kakashi-sensei? I know there's history between you but you're the only one I can ask. Naruto and Sakura can't do it. They're still just genin. She'll be going on missions they aren't allowed on."

Kakashi sighed. "Okay. I'll look after her for you."

Sasuke relaxed. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

With a final farewell, Sasuke raced off to face his new sensei.

* * *

News of Sasuke's defection spread like wildfire the next morning after he was long gone. Once Danzo heard, he couldn't help give a satisfied smile. He'd been right all along. The boy's hate was too much and now he was a traitor. Trust Orochimaru to manage to play on someone's feelings. Now maybe the other elders will see things his way more often once again. And with this one act, Sasuke was playing right into his hands. Although, it was a shame things had to go this way. With Hiruzen's death, the only person left to get in his way of getting to Sasuke had been Miyuki. Now, with him in Orochimaru's hands, it would be a few more years before his plans were complete. Reaching up, he touched his bandaged eye. With the power of the last two Uchiha, he'd finally surpass Hiruzen and become the hokage.

* * *

Naruto left with Jiraiya not long after Sasuke left. Orochimaru was hardly the only problem. The Akatsuki were still after Naruto and he had to be ready for them. Jiraiya was going to make sure he was. Sakura and Kakashi saw him off. After that, she went to find Miyuki. The woman was usually easy to find. She was generally at home or in the training yard. Today it was the training yard. When she saw Sakura, she paused her workout to sit and chat.

"What's on your mind?" Miyuki asked after a bit. "You're very distracted."

"I just…Both Sasuke and Naruto are just going to keep getting better. How am I going to keep up so that I can help them when they need me?"

"You know there are all sorts of ways to be helpful."

"I know but I can't think of one that works for me." Sakura drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. "I promised I'd help, but I feel useless."

"Sakura, those two are going to be running headlong into battle. That or the battle will come to them. Either way, they are going to end up battered and bruised." Miyuki shifted and moved the collar of her shirt so that Sakura could see the scar just below her collarbone. "This one almost killed me. Sometimes, knowing how to fight is good. But, what those two need is help when the fighting is done."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You mean medical ninjutsu."

"Exactly." Miyuki fixed her shirt. She gave Sakura a sly look. "You know, Jiraiya and Orochimaru aren't the only two sannin. The third one happens to be an expert at being on a team with two powerful shinobi. She might be able to help guide you too."

Sakura smiled widely as she jumped to her feet. "Thank you so much, Miyuki. I'll go talk to her right now."

She ran the entire way to the Hokage's office. Steeling herself, Sakura knocked on Tsunade's door.

"Come in."

She drew in a deep breath then went inside the Hokage's office.

"Sakura, what can I do for you?" Tsunade asked as she worked.

"I want to become your apprentice," Sakura requested. She couldn't be the only one left behind.

Tsunade considered her for a moment then smiled. "Very well. But don't think I'll go easy on you."

"I don't want you to."

* * *

After Sakura had left, Miyuki stood to continue training when she saw she had yet another visitor. This one surprised her. "Kakashi?"

"Miyuki."

The two stood silent. Miyuki wondering what brought him here after five years. Kakashi considering how he wished to handle the woman who'd once been very close to him before betraying him.

Finally, the silence was more than she could take. "I can go if you need the training grounds."

"No. I'm here to see you actually."

"What? Why?" she couldn't hide her surprise or concern.

"Sasuke." He put his hands in his pockets, coming to a decision at last.

It took a moment before she realized what must have happened. She let out a breath. "That brat. He asked you to keep an eye on me."

"He did," Kakashi confirmed with a nod.

"You don't have to. I have been looking after myself for five years now. No need for that to change." She clasped her hands behind her back to hide the fact that they were shaking. Her expression remained as blank as she could get it. "I'm not going to turn stupid."

"I promised I would, so I will." He sighed. "Look. We have a history. No point pretending otherwise. But you saved Sasuke from what would have been the biggest mistake of his life." Kakashi shrugged. "You cost me one comrade once. Now, you saved one. As far as I'm concerned, you've earned a second chance yourself."

Her eyes went wide as all attempt to hide her emotions was forgotten in her shock. "Kakashi."

"I can't promise I'll trust you right away, Miyuki, but I'm willing to give you the chance to earn that again."

Miyuki felt the tear slip by her guard and cursed it. She couldn't even speak because emotions choking her words. Behind her back, her hands clenched. Swallowing, she managed, "That's more than I ever hoped for, Kakashi."

He held out a file. She blinked at it then, forcing herself to unclench her hands, she took it. When she opened it, she saw it was a mission file. Looking up at him, she tilted her head in silent question.

"It's easy enough, but a good first start. We'll be scouting the border near the Land of Wind to keep an eye out for trouble."

"We?"

"Yes. We."

She fought the smile. The tear was bad enough. She simply nodded in acceptance and listened as he went over the details of the mission.


	8. Second Chances

**Ch. 8: Second Chances**

"Are you sure you want me to come on this one?" Miyuki asked Kakashi. It had been three months since Naruto and Sasuke left. With Sakura training with Tsunade, Kakashi didn't have students so he returned to his normal mission schedule. True to his word, he requested her on every mission he led. Up to this point, those had all been just two man missions. This one was more. It required a squad of four jonin. While Kakashi felt she deserved a second chance, the others were not so forgiving. Especially since they blamed her for Sasuke's "defection." A problem she hadn't anticipated when he left. Not one she couldn't handle however.

"Yes." Kakashi was leading the way to the rendezvous point for the squad so he could go over the full details of the mission.

"They will not like having me there."

"They'll survive." He looked over his shoulder at her. "You are not only a capable shinobi, but the mission takes us near the Land of Water, which your particular talents could come in handy there."

"I understand that, but my presence could cause tension in the squad." She grabbed his shoulder to make him turn to look at her. "I don't want to be a problem for you, Kakashi. The opposite in fact. So, are you sure?"

"Yes," he said again without hesitation. "They are shinobi and will do what they must. Otherwise, they wouldn't deserve to be shinobi."

Miyuki didn't think it would be so simple but nodded in acceptance. "Okay."

They met up with the other two shinobi. The moment their eyes landed on Miyuki, their eyes hardened. She braced herself and carefully kept her expression neutral. She would let the mask slip for Kakashi now and then, but she wasn't ready to even begin that with the others.

"What is the Ice Queen doing here?" Ko Hyuga demanded.

"She is a part of the squad," Kakashi answered in a tone that told them not to argue. "Now, we are going to be bodyguards for a merchant. It is known that a group of shinobi hired by a competitor of his are after him to prevent this particular venture as it could cripple the competition's finances."

"You are bringing Miyuki on a guard duty mission? She'll probably just let the merchant get killed," Gaku Inuzuka pointed out with a sneer in her direction. The large dog next to him yipped in agreement. "We'd be better off without her."

"I didn't ask," Kakashi pointed out. "She stays. Either you can work with that or not. If not, go home."

Kakashi's stance on teamwork was well known so no one was really surprise by how he felt about the matter. They did not go home. That settled, Kakashi began going over the mission in more detail. Miyuki made the decision that she'd have to stick close to Kakashi if she didn't want to create more of a problem than she already had. They met the merchant by the gate. He carried with him a large case. Miyuki assumed it was full of the items he intended to trade. She didn't ask. It wasn't her concern and she had her hands full dealing with the hostility from the other two.

Kakashi led the way as the other three made to cover the merchant's left, right, and back. Miyuki chose the back. The journey was not a quiet one. Fights with the hired enemy shinobi broke out at least once a day. It was during one of the battles that Miyuki saw one of the enemy shinobi was about to get Kakashi from behind. She couldn't protect him and herself at the same time. It was an easier decision than it would have been five years ago. With a flick of her hand, she directed the ice she controlled to right where the attacker's next step would be causing him to slip. Kakashi remained unharmed. She was not so lucky. The shinobi she'd been fighting did not hesitate to take advantage of her weaponless state and slashed her side with his kunai. Miyuki brought the ice back and formed a glaive with it in one smooth motion that flowed into an attack that had her blade imbedded in his stomach. The fight ended as quickly as it started. Miyuki saw that her team was all well and let out a breath. Wincing, she touched her still bleeding side.

"We need to get moving," Ko said, his byakugan active and scanning the area. "Otherwise more will come soon enough."

"Is anyone injured?" Kakashi asked, examining each of them.

Miyuki quickly hid her injured side from view. Calling on her kekkei genkai, she had ice form over the wound to stop the blood flow. It would just have to be enough for now. Ko was right. They needed to move, not be worried about her.

Hours later, when night had come, Kakashi chose a location for camp. Like all the other nights, they did not use a fire to make sure they weren't found by the enemy. Miyuki sighed with relief. Her body, because of her kekkei genkai, could tolerate extreme cold for quite some time. But hours with only an ice bandage was starting to take its toll. Her skin hurt. As everyone settled to eat their cold food. Miyuki, using the excuse of checking out the area, wandered away from them.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath as she sat on the ground once alone. Pulling out her first aid kit, she started to pull out what she'd need.

"Let me help."

She jumped only to settled back down when she saw it was only Kakashi.

He knelt beside her. His single eye held irritation. "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"

"I didn't want to slow us down. I could manage. I can still manage. You know that. I've used my ice as a bandage before. For myself and others."

"There was no need for you to do so this time," he argued. Gesturing for her to lift her shirt, he took the ointment from her hand. "We weren't in such immediate danger that you had to go with an ice bandage. It was a pointless drain on your chakra."

She reluctantly shifted and lifted the hem of her shirt until the wound was exposed. The ice she'd used to seal the wound melted away. Miyuki only winced when he applied the ointment. It always burned when it worked. Why did medicine always have to hurt or taste bad? Once Kakashi finished cleaning the wound, he taped a bandage into place.

"Promise me you'll let me know next time. I can rationally decide whether to wait to tend to your injuries or do it now. You know that as I've done it before when we were in the Anbu."

She nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry, Kakashi."

He sighed as he stood. "Actually, I should be thanking you."

Her eyes jerked up to him. "What?"

Kakashi smiled at her for the first time in five years. "Do you think I didn't notice the ice that slipped that one shinobi today? You got that injury defending me. I haven't forgotten that you can only control one ice object at a time."

Her eyes widened and she had to fight the blush. Jerking her gaze away from him, she said, "There's nothing to thank me for. I was just defending my team."

"That's worth thanking you for." With a wave he returned to the camp.

She sat a moment longer. Tears slipped down her cheeks even as she smiled. He'd smiled at her. "Maybe all isn't hopeless," she murmured to herself. "At least I might regain his trust."

After a few more mission on Kakashi's team, she was surprised to find others started requesting her when her particular skill set would be very useful. Starting with Might Guy. He'd always been kind, so it didn't surprise her that once Kakashi proved willing to forgive her, he would too. Others slowly followed suite after hearing both Kakashi and Guy talk about how she risked her own skin to help her comrades. Not that everyone jumped on the forgiveness bandwagon. Many still held her in contempt and blamed her for Sasuke's defection. Miyuki accepted what she was going to get either way. Even the little forgiveness she'd received was more than she expected. So her first several months after Sasuke left to train with Orochimaru passed more easily than she ever expected them too. She thought Sakura would be the only one to care without Sasuke around. Miyuki made a note that she needed to thank Sasuke for asking Kakashi to look after her. Damn Kid just had to look out for her in the end, she thought with a smile.

Before anyone knew it the new year was just a few hours away. Everyone was celebrating, waiting until midnight to greet the first minutes of a new beginning. Even Miyuki, since she had people to celebrate with. She sat with Kurenai, Asuma, and Sakura eating dumplings. The others laughed openly, she kept her amusement to a smile. Like Sasuke, she wasn't one for exuberant displays of emotion. At some point, Kakashi stopped by to greet everyone. He didn't stay long, and Miyuki watched him until he disappeared into the crowd when he left.

Kurenai had watched the Ice Queen very carefully from the moment Kakashi came until he left. Frustrated that she couldn't tell the answer to the question everyone was wondering about for the last year, she demanded, "Are you and Kakashi dating now?"

Miyuki nearly choked on her dumpling. "What?"

"Come to think of it," Sakura said thoughtfully. "I wondered about things between you two. I mean. You clearly feel something for him."

"The two of you were close once," Asuma pointed out. "Very close. We all know you two had been if not an item, very nearly so. You two seem to be doing okay again."

"I didn't know that. About how they used to be I mean," Sakura looked at Miyuki with amazement. "Is that true?"

Miyuki could only sputter as her brain tried to catch up to the conversation.

Asuma seemed to be in a chatty mood so he answered for her. "That's right. She was on Kakashi's Anbu team. He made it his personal mission to save her from herself as she'd been on a very destructive path at the time. Kakashi was the only one that could get her to listen without a fight or even a token protest. It was clear, at least to the rest of us, that the two of them had been developing feelings for each other."

"So inquiring minds want to know if things are back to the way they were or not," Kurenai said, bringing the conversation full circle.

"Well…That is…" Miyuki forced herself to calm down. "I don't know that I'd say we were ever an item. He made certain confessions back in our Anbu days and things happened. The potential was there. But all that ended the day I chose vengeance over everything else."

"So that's a no then," Kurenai commented with disappointment.

"I don't think it's even a possibility anymore." Miyuki stared at the dumplings as though they held the answers. "He's given no indication that it is anyway, and I am not pushing my luck. I consider it enough that he's given me what he has after what I did."

"He wouldn't say anything," Kurenai informed her, shaking her head. "You have to say it first."

Miyuki looked at her skeptically. "And risk what I've gained by making it awkward again?"

"He took that chance once, didn't he?"

Slowly, Miyuki nodded.

"Then you hurt him, in the worst possible way."

Again, Miyuki only nodded.

"Then you are responsible for being the one to make up for it. You have to say it first."

Asuma lit a cigarette. "Did you ever once tell him how you felt?"

"No." Miyuki looked away from them. "Hiding my emotions has always been my shield. An armor. A way of keeping everyone at a distance so that I would be safe from pain. That became even more critical with Kakashi because he found a way to weaken that armor."

"Then you owe it to him, don't you? To say what you wouldn't before even if he doesn't feel the same?" Kurenai pointed out.

She sat thoughtfully, not sure she agreed. Why would she risk what little he'd given her? And it was a risk. If he didn't share the sentiment he once did, it would make things between them difficult again. The clock struck midnight and a new year started. A new beginning for everyone.

Despite the cheers all around, Miyuki sat quietly. A part of her desperately wanted to do as the others suggested. At the same time, fear crawled over her at the very idea. Not just fear. Pure terror. Even after that night, the conversation plagued her for days. She'd seesaw back and forth about whether she should tell him or not. Mostly, she leaned towards not. She was still struggling with the decision when Sakura came bursting through her door dragging a very confused Kakashi behind her.

As she hurried into the room, Sakura waved a piece of paper above her head shouting, "I got word. He actually sent something."

A messenger hawk flew in behind them and landed on the back on one of Miyuki's kitchen chairs.

Miyuki's lips twitched with a smile. "Sakura, slow down and start from the beginning? What word and who?"

"Sorry." She released Kakashi but was still bouncing with excitement. "Our friend in dangerous places. I have word."

Miyuki's body tightened with anticipation. She had to admit, she was impressed Sasuke bothered to write. "Well, what did he say?"

"It's short. Just that he's fine and not to worry."

Kakashi took the paper and read it himself. "That is essentially it. Though he also says you can send a reply using the hawk as long as you do so before the end of today." He relaxed visibly. "Then he's okay. That's good."

Miyuki nodded. "Yes. This is good."

She read over his shoulder and smiled to herself. Sasuke had addressed it specifically to Sakura. She wondered if either kid knew the significance of that. When Kakashi's arm brushed her, she remembered she was reading over his shoulder and was way too close to him. Shifting back, she put space between them again.

Sakura had been looking between them. Her smile only widened. "You two really aren't awkward anymore."

Miyuki glanced at Kakashi then back at Sakura. "I suppose not."

"She's earned her second chance," Kakashi answered for himself with a smile. "Now, you better write a reply before you run out of time to do so."

"Right."

Sakura moved to the table and quickly wrote a note. She knew she couldn't put nearly as much as she wanted. She settled for letting him know everyone was doing fine and the improvements for Miyuki with the other shinobi thanks to Kakashi. She knew he'd like that. As a side note, she mentioned that Naruto was training with Jiraiya and she with Tsunade. She did not know how Naruto was doing as the idiot hadn't bothered to send anything. With that done, she rolled it up and tucked the note into the hawk's carrier. It settled its feathers into place then flew back out the door.

Sakura hurried off to return to her training.

Miyuki looked back at Kakashi who was rubbing at his shoulder.

Giving her sheepish smile, he said, "She's getting very strong. Nearly yanked my arm out of its socket."

"Somehow I doubt she could do that yet." Miyuki clasped her hands behind her back. Her eyes shifting away from him. Damn Kurenai and Asuma. Their meddling questions still bothered her, and she couldn't seem to shake the conversation. Now she couldn't get herself to calm down whenever Kakashi was around.

"What's on your mind, Miyuki?" Kakashi asked her after a moment. "You've been distracted for days. Nightmares?"

She shook her head. "No. Those haven't bothered me as much since Sasuke chose his team over power." A humorless chuckle escaped her. "Apparently my subconscious has decided I'm completely guilt free now that I've saved him from my path."

"Miyuki, you made a mistake. A big one, don't get me wrong, but you have since proven that you won't repeat it." Kakashi shrugged. "Between that and saving Sasuke, it's enough for me at least." His single eyes remained focused on her. "You can relax with me now."

Miyuki blew out a breath, flaring her bangs out of her eyes. "I just…" She shook her head. "Forget it. I don't deserve it."

"Deserve what?"

"Your forgiveness." She couldn't look at him anymore. "I abandoned you. You were hurt. And just days before that you…" She couldn't even finish that sentence. Just days before Kakashi had told her he was starting to care more than either of them were comfortable with. He just didn't run from it like she did. He'd always been braver and stronger than she was. He didn't hide from his faults. He faced them.

He took her chin in his hand to force her to look at him. "That's not your decision. I get to forgive you whether you feel like you deserve it or not."

"I love you." The words spilled out before she could even think to silence them. Her eyes went wide as she clapped her hands over her mouth. Closing her eyes again, she jerked away from him. Her hands came up to keep him at bay. Now that the words were coming she couldn't stop them. "I've always loved you," she told him, cursing the tears that she couldn't stop. "I just buried it like I did everything else. There wasn't room for it with the rage and hate that I'd always used to keep me going. By then, I didn't know how to survive without them. Maybe if you'd had more time before I found Kenta, you could have shown me." She tried to regain control, but it wasn't working. By now her body shook with all the emotions rolling through her. Her fists clenched at her side. "I'm so sorry, Kakashi. I know that's not enough, but I am. I have never been more sorry for anything than hurting you. That day was the worst mistake of my life and one of the two worst days of my life. And I have no idea why I'm saying all this now. It's not like you could still…not after what I did."

Her eyes were still closed, afraid to see his reaction. As what she'd just confessed to him began to sink in, flight or fight kicked in and her body chose flight. Turning quickly, she said, "Nevermind. Forgot I said anything."

He grabbed her hand before she could make it far and yanked hard to spin her around. She felt his hand cup the back of her head. Her eyes snapped open when he yanked her forward to kiss her. Despite the years between then and now, her body hadn't forgotten what it felt like to have him hold her. She closed her eyes again and let herself melt into him, her hands fisting into his vest.

He pulled back, resting his forehead on hers. "That is the first time you've ever told me how you feel."

"Those words scared the hell out of me. Still do actually." She met his gaze, still afraid to hope. It was so rare to see him without the mask up. He looked like his father in a lot of ways. Once, he wouldn't have thought that was a compliment. "The day I killed my uncle, I learned the hard way just what you meant to me. And it was too late to do anything about it."

"Not too late. You just had to make it right first." He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. "Miyuki, tell me again."

"I love you, Kakashi." She closed her eyes, embarrassed by her emotional state. Especially the tears sliding down her face still. "So much."

He held her as she cried and whispered in her ear, "I love you too, Miyuki. I have since you took that hit defending me a few months back."

"I don't deserve any of this and you deserve better. Especially after all you've lost. Kakashi, I…"

He didn't let her finish. Kissing her again, he silenced whatever she was going to say. When he pulled away, he whispered, "I don't care what you think you do or don't deserve. I told you. I get to decide to forgive or not. And yes, I've lost a lot. My father, my best friend, Rin, my sensei. For six years I thought I'd lost you even though you were still alive. Somehow that was worse than death taking you." His voice lowered to a warning tone, "I won't lose you a second time. And don't think I'll let you run from this."

"I won't," she promised. "I don't think I could even if I wanted to."

"Glad we have an understanding then." He gave a forlorn sigh as he relaxed again. "Guy is never going to let me hear the end of this."

That startled a laugh out of her. "I don't think anyone is. They're already talking about us."

Kakashi gave her a thoughtful look and she could see the heat burning under the surface. Her heart rate picked up and she was suddenly very aware of how close he was to her.

"Are they?" he asked thoughtfully as the hand he'd had resting on her hip, slid around to draw her closer.

She felt heat spread through her as she nodded. Why couldn't she get her brain to work? It was like he fried all her circuits.

"How about we give them something to talk about then?" he suggested. Despite the ease of his tone, intensity burned in that lone eye.

She swallowed. He didn't move again, waiting for her response she knew. She didn't have to think about it. There was only one response she would ever give him. She let go of his vest in favor of sliding her arms around him. That was all the encouragement he needed.


	9. Attack on Suna

**Ch. 9: Attack on Suna**

Two and half years after Sasuke's defection, Danzo saw a messenger hawk fly into the village and frowned. Just what was that about. He intercepted it before it could reach it's destination. What he read inside sent a chill through him. Sasuke was trying to leave Orochimaru and requesting help from the village in doing so. Without hesitation, he burned the message. If Sasuke returned of his own free will then all his plans would be ruined. He already had a shinobi ready and willing to deal with the Uchiha and make sure to bring the sharingan's back to him. No way was he giving the sentimental fools that ran the village a chance to make it difficult on him now. The Uchiha were a danger to Konoha. Always had been and always would be. As for the sharingan, he should get something for all his efforts in protecting the village.

It would be fine. If he didn't receive and answer, Sasuke would assume he was unwelcomed back in Konoha and abandon the idea of leaving Orochimaru.

"It's almost time," he said quietly to himself. "Just need the right mission to send someone out."

– _5 months later –_

Miyuki stood in the training yard. Sweat dripped down her face as she focused. The air around her was so cold from the use of her ice release that she could see her breath as it heaved in and out. Satisfaction filled her. It was getting easier to maintain her ice release. Over the last year she had made vast improvements including one she'd been trying to do for years.

"Miyuki!"

She turned and saw Sakura running up to her waving. Running beside her was Naruto. He had that same goofy grin he always had as he waved at her shouting, "I'm home."

Miyuki gave a small smile. While expressing herself got easier these last few years thanks to Kakashi and several others, she still wasn't prone to outbursts of any sort. "Naruto, welcome back."

Naruto held no such reservations. He wrapped arms around her waist and spun her around excitedly as he laughed. Once he set her down on her feet, he said, "You used to be taller."

"Funny enough you used to be shorter," she managed while containing her own laugh. Mirth danced in her violet eyes.

"Careful, Naruto. Kakashi-sensei may not like it if he caught you doing things like that with Miyuki," Sakura warned him with a grin.

Miyuki shook her head. Kakashi had been right. No one was ever going to let them hear the end of the fact that they were in a relationship. Guy and Sakura were particularly thrilled with the changes between Miyuki and Kakashi and never failed to mention it.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked in confusion. "It's not like I'm hurting her or anything."

"Miyuki is Kakashi-sensei's girlfriend now," Sakura informed him happily. Then she glared. She hit him in the head while shouting, "Which you'd know if you ever bothered to send any kind of note or letter so that I could send one to you, idiot."

This time Miyuki couldn't prevent the small chuckle that burst out. Some things never changed.

"Ow, Sakura, that hurt." Naruto rubbed his head then looked at Miyuki. "I'm glad. I know Sasuke worried about things between you and Kakashi-sensei. He'll be relieved when he hears."

"I'm sure."

Sakura looked off in the distance with a worried frown. Sasuke had managed to send the occasional message, so she'd been able to inform him of all that was going on before now. Naruto was right, Sasuke had been relieved when she told him about Kakashi and Miyuki. However, the last time they'd heard from him was nine months ago. She was starting to worry that something had happened to him. The longest he'd gone before this without word was three months.

"Let's go find Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said with a big grin. "I can't wait to tell him all about my training."

"He'll be thrilled to see you again," Miyuki assured him as she led the way. As she passed by Sakura, she reached out and patted the younger girl's head in reassurance, whispering, "Have faith. It'll be fine."

"Right." Sakura turned and followed them.

They found Kakashi sitting in a tree reading the latest release of Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise books.

Naruto shouted up at him with a grin, "Kakashi-sensei, why are you still reading those books if you have a love life of your own now?"

Kakashi looked down at them. When he spotted Naruto, he smiled and shut the book. "Welcome home, Naruto."

"It's good to see you, Kakashi-sensei." By now, Naruto's grin was so wide his face hurt but he couldn't stop smiling at everyone. It was good to be home.

Kakashi's eye darted to Miyuki as he jumped down to the ground, who blushed just a little, then back to Naruto. "How about we all have dinner together? Then we can catch up on everything."

"We can use my place," Miyuki offered easily.

"Sounds great," Naruto cheered, always ready for food.

Naruto looked between the two jonin but saw no indication that anything had changed besides the lack of tension in the air between them. That and Miyuki would actually look at Kakashi now. Before he'd left, she wouldn't meet Kakashi's eyes without bracing herself first. Then again, neither of them were prone to overt expression of any sort. Miyuki even less so.

Letting it go for now, he said, "I can't wait to hear how everyone's been doing."

They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening exchanging stories. Sakura even managed to slip Naruto a note that told him Sasuke had been in touch until nine months ago. She worried he'd be his usual knucklehead self and say something about it out loud, but he surprised her by not only reading the note without being obvious about it but saying nothing about its contents. He must have gotten a little smarter during his time away. Eventually, Naruto and Sakura fell asleep talking about everything the other had missed. Smiling at the two, Miyuki tucked blankets around them.

"It's good to have him home," Kakashi said quietly as he came up beside her.

She nodded. "He's stronger."

"Much stronger. I hope it will be enough. Now we're only missing one." Kakashi looked out the window. "I'm worried. We haven't heard anything in nine months."

"He hasn't changed his mind," Miyuki stated. "He just hasn't had a chance."

"But why not? I hope his trainer hasn't figured him out."

That worried Miyuki too. What if something had given Sasuke away? She prayed that it was simply that he couldn't get them word safely.

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "We should all get some rest. It won't take Lady Tsunade long to assign us all a mission now that Naruto is back. There's the Akastuki after him and Orochimaru to deal with at some point."

"Right."

Banging on her door woke them all up. Being highly skilled and trained shinobi, each one of them woke while pulling out weapons. The door burst open. It was Shizune. Her breathing was ragged as she leaned on the doorframe. "Hurry. You have to hurry. Lady Tsunade has received disturbing information, and we don't know how much time we have."

They ran as quickly as they could. Temari was already in the Hokage's office demanding answers. Tsunade didn't explain anything until the four leaf shinobi came into her office. "I received word from an informant that the Akatsuki are on the move and going to attack Suna in order to abduct Gaara. I want you to form a squad to go lend aid should it be necessary."

"Is the informant trustworthy?" Kakashi asked her.

"I don't know who it is, so I can't say for sure, but we shouldn't take the chance. You four will go to Suna with Temari and do whatever you must when you get there."

"I object," an older man with one covered in bandages argued with Tsunade as he stepped into the room.

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded hotly. Rage burned in his eyes that someone would try to stand in the way of saving Gaara. "We don't have time for you."

"That is Lord Danzo. One of the village elders," Kakashi supplied. When he spoke to Danzo, his tone was cold. "And why would you object. This could cement an alliance with the sand."

"I don't object to the mission. I object to allowing That Boy and the Ice Queen to go on it," Danzo snapped out as he banged the end of his staff on the ground. "The Akatsuki are after the boy as well. It is foolish to deliver him into their hands. And we all know that the Ice Queen can't be trusted on vital missions. You may have forgotten her history, but the rest of us have not. Then there's the matter that she's to blame for Sasuke's defection."

"One, I have a name," Naruto growled out. "And two, you can't stop me. I am going to help Gaara, with or without permission."

"I'd also suggest you refrain from insulting Miyuki," Kakashi stated mildly. Despite that tone, his eye glittered with anger. "She has more than proven over the years that she is loyal to Konoha and her comrades. As for Sasuke, he is responsible for his own choices."

"Down boys," Miyuki ordered them as she moved to stand between them and Lord Danzo. To Lord Danzo, she said, "I appreciate that you want to keep the Leaf Village safe, but you don't have a say in this. I will not stand by while every person I care about is off fighting. Naruto couldn't be kept from saving Gaara with chains. You might as well accept it."

"Lord Danzo," Tsunade interjected with a glare for him. "The decision is mine and it's been made." To the five shinobi in front of her, she ordered, "Go. As quickly as you can. We don't know when the attack will come, so I don't want to waste time."

All of them nodded and rushed out. As they ran, Kakashi explained to Sakura, Naruto, and Temari what the Akatsuki wanted from Gaara. His tailed beast, Shukaku. Temari's eyes went wide. "But that will kill Gaara. Everyone who's ever had the Shukaku removed died as a result."

"We'll just have to get there before that happens," Naruto snapped out.

"I don't understand something," Sakura said after a moment. "The Akatsuki are after Naruto too, right? I mean, that's why Itachi and Kisame attacked when we were kids, right? Why would they want Naruto?"

At first, no one spoke. Finally, Naruto said, "Because I contain a tailed beast too."

"What?"

"The nine-tailed fox lives in me," Naruto clarified. "So, they want to take him from me too."

"That is why the other villagers have been so rough on Naruto," Miyuki expanded for Sakura. "The adults are aware he is the host of the fox. They're afraid of him because of it."

"So that's why they wouldn't let you train him," Sakura said as everything about Naruto and the way people were with him began to fall into place. "Because they didn't trust you either."

"Still don't as Danzo proved," Miyuki reminded her. "But yes."

"I don't like Danzo," Naruto muttered.

"I never expected you to." Kakashi smiled a little. "I doubt you ever will either."

"Naruto," Sakura said, bringing the conversation back to the topic of the tailed beast. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Naruto wouldn't look at her. "I was afraid. You know how everyone treats me. I was afraid you and Sasuke would treat me that way too if you knew."

"Idiot. As if we would be so shallow," Sakura yelled.

Naruto looked at her wide eyes then gave her his big grin. "I should have known better. I know."

They put every ounce of speed they had into getting to Suna and it still took three days. When they reached the sand village, the village of Suna was in a state of organized chaos. People ran around, shouting orders and updates.

Temari ran straight for Baki. "What happened?"

"We were attacked by an unknown attacker just a little while ago." Baki hesitated then added solemnly, "They took Gaara."

"What? How did they get Gaara?"

"He was weakened by an explosion and used the last of his chakra to protect the village." He looked in the direction anyone had last seen the abductor. "Kankuro has already gone after them. No one was able to follow him because we were still checking on the civilians, and now we don't know where they've gone."

"How long ago was the attack?" Kakashi asked, pulling out a summoning scroll from his vest.

"About half an hour ago."

"Then there's stills time." Temari said as her mind spun with possibilities. "He shouldn't have gone off on his own. We need to catch up to him."

"We don't know where he's gone," Baki pointed out.

"I can find him but I need something with his scent on it," Kakashi began to explain when an old woman suddenly shouted something about the White Fang and attacked him.

Miyuki blocked the attack. Shifting her stance, she shoved back, forcing the old woman to back off and away from them.

"Why are you attacking Kakashi-sensei, crazy old woman?" Naruto demanded, ready for a fight.

"I have waited a long time to avenge my son," the old woman answered in a cold tone.

What she'd said while shouting sank in. Kakashi held up his hands. "Umm, I'm not the White Fang."

"Don't lie to me," the woman shouted and started to go for another attack.

An old man who called the woman his sister got in her way, reminding her that the White Fang had died years ago. When the words seemed to sink in, the woman acted like she'd been playing senile.

Kakashi lowered his hands with a sigh.

Miyuki let her hand brush his in silent comfort. She knew it bothered him to hear about his father even after all these years. His fingers laced with hers and squeezed in silent thanks for just a quick second before releasing her hand.

"This is Kakashi and his squad," Temari informed them all through gritted teeth. "Not an enemy."

"He does bear a striking resemblance to the White Fang," the old man said slowly.

"That's because he was my father." Kakashi shuffled uncomfortably when everyone except Miyuki stared at him in surprise. He pulled the topic back to the issue at hand. "As for finding Kankuro, I have hounds that can track him but we'll need something with his scent."

"I'll go grab something," Temari shouted as she ran to the house she shared with her siblings.

The moment she was back, Kakashi summoned hounds and gave them the scent. They headed out immediately to find the trail. While they waited, Kakashi said, "So obviously my team is going after them. Who else is coming?"

"I'm going to come," Temari stated.

"You can't," Baki told her. "Orders from above. They want all our shinobi focused on protecting the village."

"Someone from the Sand should go," Temari pointed out, desperate to make him change his mind. "Since both of them are my brothers, it should be me."

"Orders from the council can't be ignored, Temari. Even by you and Baki." The old woman looked at the leaf shinobi then at Temari. "You are right as well. Someone from the sand should go. I will. Since I'm retired I'm free to do as I choose."

"Why would you go?" Naruto asked suspiciously. He didn't trust her after her attack on Kakashi."

"Because one of the ones who took Gaara is my grandson, Sasori of the Red Sand." Chiyo looked out over the desert. "It is my duty to stop him or save him. Whichever works best in this instance."

"Naruto, Lady Chiyo is one of our village elders," Temari explained to him. To the old woman, she said with concern, "Are you sure you're able to go?"

"Don't treat me like a fossil." She grinned with a determined look in her eyes. "Besides, it's been a while since I doted on my grandson."

"I'll try to change the council's mind." Baki told them, giving Temari an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

"There's no help for it. Very well," Temari agreed reluctantly. "Just, bring my brothers back."

"We will as soon as we know where to go," Kakashi assured her.

"While you wait, we've had rooms prepared for you," Baki told them gesturing for them to follow him.

"What? We can't wait that long," Naruto objected. "We have to save Gaara."

"And we'll do better rested," Miyuki told him. She placed a hand on his shoulder in understanding. "We need to rest, Naruto. We raced here as fast as we could. There is no telling how long we'll need to travel to catch up to Kankuro let alone the Akatsuki. Then there's the potential for fighting. We will save time in the long run by resting now even if it's just for an hour."

He let out a frustrated breath as he raked fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Okay. I know you're right."

With that, the leaf shinobi followed Baki to the rooms. The four rooms were simple and unadorned. Just what they would need for a quick rest. Miyuki followed Kakashi into his room.

"If you stay in here we won't get much rest," he commented when she shut the door.

"I know, that's why I'm not staying in here. But I wanted to check on you. Are you okay?" She asked softly. "I know your father is a difficult subject."

He let out a shaky breath. "Mostly okay. I came to terms with my father years ago. Can't say talking about it is easy though."

She hugged him, offering what comfort she could. Resting his forehead on her shoulder he wrapped his arms around her, accepting the warmth of her. It was hard to believe that he'd spent five years unwilling to trust her.

She stepped back reluctantly. "We should rest."

He nodded in agreement. They had a long day ahead of them."

Miyuki found both Sakura and Naruto waiting for her outside Kakashi's door. She smiled at their concerned looks. "His father is a sore topic is all," she answered the unspoken question. "He'll be fine."

"Why is it difficult?" Sakura asked, still concerned.

"It's a long story and not really mine to tell," Miyuki answered hesitantly. "I'm sure if you ask, he'll tell it to you. I'd wait until after this mission though."

The two nodded then went to their own rooms.

The moment Pakkun returned to tell them they found the trail, Team Kakashi and Lady Chiyo headed after Gaara with Pakkun leading the way. They found the two Akatsuki members across from a barely standing Kankuro.

The moment they saw them, Deidara took off with Gaara. Reinforcements weren't a good sign. He had to get out of there with the jinchuriki. He certainly didn't have the chakra for more fighting just yet.

"Get back here," Naruto shouted, chasing after him.

When Sasori tried to get in his way, Sakura leapt forward and punched at him. Sasori was forced to dodge or get broken.

"Miyuki, you stay and help battle Sasori," Kakashi ordered her as he started after Naruto. "I'll help Naruto catch the other one."

Nodding, she shifted so her focus would be on Sasori of the Red Sand. She opened a water skin she kept at her waist. In the desert, her particular jutsu was at a disadvantage. It was hot and dry. A combination that made maintaining water let alone ice difficult. But, she had little choice. Forming the hand signs she needed, she pulled the water out of the container and formed her favored ice weapon, a glaive. She liked the reach of the staff weapon and having the long blade at one end didn't hurt either.

"Sakura, go check on Kankuro. Do what you can for him then rejoin the battle. We'll get him more help after we finish dealing with Sasori."

The puppet master had collapsed the moment they showed up. Sakura nodded and hurried over to stabilize him the best she could.

"There's no point," Sasori spoke in a harsh voice that seemed to echo like it was in a hollow space. "The poison will kill him."

"Then you don't mind if we try anyway, foolish as it may be." Miyuki went on the attack. Being a taijutsu specialist, her training focused on her speed. Because of her family, she had their particular brand of taijutsu, which was designed to be like water. Flowing freely and easily from one move to the next. While her movements weren't wasted, she didn't really stop. When Sasori blocked her glaive, she merely shifted into her next attack.

Miyuki had put together Sasori's story from what Chiyo had said and done. The attack on Kakashi and rage at the White Fang told a great deal about the history there. It was clear the old woman lost someone to Kakashi's father. Since Chiyo was Sasori's grandmother, it was safe to assume the one lost had been his parent and Chiyo's child.

She thought of the loss of her own clan and the hole that created in her life. Unlike Sasori, she'd had someone to focus her rage on. With the White Fang gone, she imagined he'd become just as lost as she'd been after she'd killed Kenta. Realization began to sink in as she came to the understanding that he was probably still lost. She raced forwards, using the length of the glaive to stay out of range of his attacks. The understanding couldn't stop her. She wouldn't let it get in the way of what had to be done. Sasori had made his choice just as she made hers.

"You are very good, Ice Queen of Konoha," Sasori commented almost absently as he was forced to dodge the razor sharp blade of her glaive again.

"That is praise coming from you," she acknowledged. She knew the real Sasori was inside this puppet. She had to get him out of there if she wanted to win this fight. Well, she'd been working on a plan to deal with that.

"Still, you can't beat me alone."

She smirked. "I'm not alone."

Suddenly, there was a shadow above him. Looking up, he realized there was no time to dodge. Sakura's fist connected with his back. Not only did the puppet he was hiding in break, but the force of her punch had the sand clouding the area. Before he could counterattack, Sakura was yanked back. Looking over, he saw his grandmother with her hands up. Chakra strings went from her hands all the way to Sakura's body.

"So, you are helping with her speed and agility." He brushed the dust off his cloak as the others stared in horror.

Chiyo could scarcely believe her own eyes. "You haven't changed. You should be older and yet you are the same."

He gazed at her without any feeling at all. "I have found a way to make sure death doesn't visit me. Now my art will live forever. I will live forever."

"No, you won't. I will stop you, Sasori," Chiyo promised him. "One way or another."

Sasori pulled out a summoning scroll and called out a puppet that had Chiyo looking horrified. The Third Kazekage of Sunagakure. She explained quickly for Miyuki's and Sakura's benefit. Wonderful, Miyuki thought sarcastically as she wished she had access to more water. This particular fight wouldn't be a problem if she could just call more water. She didn't think there was enough in the air for that at the moment. Well, she wouldn't know unless she tried. She focused her chakra, doing her best not to bring attention to what she was doing.

Chiyo was beyond livid. "How dare you interfere with three Kazekages of our village."

"Three?" Sakura asked her in confusion.

"Orochimaru may have been the one who killed the fourth Kazekage but Sasori was complicit in the deed."

"I had nothing to do with his death," Sasori argued. "That was all Orochimaru."

"I know your work, Sasori."

"One of my agents does work for Orochimaru." He shrugged indifferently. "What you recognized was probably just him."

"You know about Orochimaru?" Sakura asked, anger burning in her eyes as she thought about the nine months she hadn't heard from Sasuke.

"He once worked for the Akatsuki."

"Then you have the answers I need." She clenched her gloved fists.

"I don't have time to answer your questions. We have a tailed beast to extract." He attacked with the Kazekage puppet.

"Be careful," Sakura shouted as they dodged. "Sasori uses poison on all his weapons. That's what happened to Kankuro."

"Will he be alright?" Miyuki demanded.

"If we get him treatment in time."

"How will you do that when you're dead," Sasori asked them as he attacked again.

Miyuki made quick hand signs, calling on the chakra she'd infused into the air. She'd managed to gather just enough moisture for one big hit. She had to make it count. Five ice spears formed in the air then rained down on the Kazekage puppet. Sweat dripped down her face at the effort. Sakura and Naruto weren't the only ones that had been training these last three years. It had taken nearly that entire time for her to be able to use multiple ice weapons. She hadn't wanted to use it in this fight, but it was the best way to fight this particular puppet. The iron sand made it next to impossible to get close to it without getting sliced by the poisoned weapon.

She watched the dust clear, praying silently. That one jutsu used up a great deal of her chakra thanks to desert air. She wouldn't have enough to do it again. All she could do now was maintain her one weapon. To her immense relief, the puppet was speared in place.

Sakura took advantage of the moment of immobility to slam her fist into it, shattering the puppet. Once again, Lady Chiyo aided Sakura's mobility and agility to keep her out of harm's way should Sasori choose to counterattack.

He didn't. Instead, he removed his cloak to reveal that his body was also that of a puppet. Which was how he'd maintained his youth.

Chiyo called on her own puppets, ones Sasori himself made after his mother and father. She'd hoped that seeing them would remind him of the emotions he'd left behind. In reality, though she knew the odds were against her, Chiyo wanted nothing more in the world than to save her grandson from himself. Miyuki was the only one to see the flickers of something dancing through his eyes. She knew what to look for. It maybe have been eight years ago, but she remembered burying her feeling as deep as she could get them. She knew the signs of them fighting to come out. Sasori wasn't as emotionless as he'd like to be.

The old woman called on several more puppets, prepared to fight as hard as she could to ensure Sasori never threatened her village again. In response, Sasori smirked then summoned a hundred puppets. Chiyo and Sakura focused on the puppets and Miyuki focused on Sasori himself.

"For someone so calm, you fight very intently," Sasori commented absently to Miyuki when her blade end of the ice glaive nearly cut him in two.

"I didn't freeze my heart," she replied. Quick footwork allowed her to get into his space again. Her weapons shifted from a glaive to a kunai. He blocked it and attacked her with the blades on his arm.

Miyuki dodged to the side. None of them could afford even one cut from his weapons.

"Why not?" Despite the fighting, his tone remained casual. "Emotions only get in the way."

"They are what makes life worth living. What are you living for Sasori? Why bother seeing the sunrise every day?" She turned the kunai to a glaive again. The long-ranged weapon was really her best bet. "What is your purpose?"

She saw the first flicker of irritation in his eyes. He didn't like her question. Probably because it hit too close to home. She knew better than most how hard it was to lose the very reason you live. Everyone needed something, even if it was as small and simple as curiosity about what would happen next. Sasori, with his lack of emotions, had lost sight of that at some point.

Behind them there was another explosion of debris. Sakura had destroyed yet another puppet. The monster strength she'd learned from Tsunade was coming in real handy right now. The moment distracted Sasori, allowing Miyuki to slash at him with her blade again. He leapt away.

"Look at you, Sasori. You have thrown it all way," Miyuki said, a sad look in her violet eyes as she looked at his puppet body. "Was this better than the pain, Sasori? Better to be something other than human if it meant you wouldn't hurt anymore?"

"That isn't why," he answered, still expressing nothing. "I am my own art now. The pinnacle of my creative abilities is my own body and it is eternal."

"But, Sasori, the very thing you sought all your childhood is lost to you forever now."

"It was already lost."

"No, Sasori. You could have loved again or been loved." Miyuki returned to her fighting stance. "After all, I lost everything twice. I moved past it and gained all the things I thought lost to me."

He considered her for a moment. "But you will age and die and lose it all again."

"No. She won't," Sakura argued, pity in her own expression for all the things Sasori denied himself. "Her spirit will live on in me and Naruto and especially Sasuke. The things she taught us. Those moments where she helped and supported us. We'll remember. I'll pass those same lessons on to my children or students or both. Whichever the future brings. Death doesn't mean an end to all the things of your life. Even if decades down the road no one remembers Miyuki's name, her legacy will carry on in those that come after."

Sasori tilted his head. "So you'd rather live on through others than live on yourself."

"Sasori, whether we kill you or not in this battle, you are not living either," Chiyo pointed out. "You are as dead as your parents at this point."

"Expressionless isn't the same thing as emotionless," Miyuki informed him. "I may be contained, but I feel plenty." Her violet eyes seemed to bore into his brown ones. "And so do you. You are the one pretending to be frozen. Not me."

He stiffened. He couldn't say, even later, what happened. Only that something in Miyuki's knowing gaze flipped some switch in him. The pain he thought long forgotten throbbed through him. His eyes shifted to the two puppets his grandmother had brought with her. His mother and father.

"The pain is not worth feeling again."

"I thought so too once," Miyuki responded softly, drawing his gaze back to her. "You're just running from your emotions rather than facing them. You're nothing but a coward, Sasori."

"I don't feel so I cannot be afraid," he reminded her. "And even if I did feel, what would be the point anymore. There is nothing left for me in this world but my art."

Miyuki raised her weapon and went on the attack again, forcing Sasori to dodge her rapid slashes and blows. With each strike she shouted, "Stop being such a fool. You have plenty worth living for again. A grandmother who clearly cares for you. A need to create even more. Students who could benefit from your lessons. A village that could use your protection. Redemption may not come easy but it can be earned even by the likes of you."

"I don't want redemption," he countered, anger sparking in his eyes again. "I don't need anyone. That kind of thing is temporary. I want eternity."

He knocked her weapons aside and went for her heart. Suddenly, with his blade inches from her face, he froze. The mother and father puppets were on either side of him now with blades sticking through his heart. The only part of him that was still human.

"I told you I would stop you," Chiyo reminded him, letting her chakra threads disappear. Despite her even tone, she cried for the grandson she loved. "One way or another."

"And now, you don't even get that eternity you wanted," Miyuki told him, carefully stepping away from him. "Was it worth it, Sasori? Now that you're at the end, do you regret?"

He considered her then looked over at his grandmother. Blood dripped to the ground from his damaged heart. "Such things are pointless and accomplish nothing."

Sakura clenched her fist. "You are such an idiot." At his disbelieving look, she clarified. "You think eternity is living forever needing no one? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And it clearly didn't work out for you."

"That is no way for a shinobi to think," Sasori pointed out.

"We may be shinobi but we are still human," Miyuki told him sadly. "No matter how often others wish us not to be, we still are. So we still feel."

"I feel nothing. The body I have can't feel pain, and my heart is as dead as my body."

"No they aren't." Miyuki shook her head. "I saw them in you. Just like me, you failed to be anything but human."

"If I were to entertain an assumption as pointless as that," he began slowly, considering Miyuki's knowing gaze. "Maybe I would admit that it would have been nice to return home and see if you are right about redemption." His voice drifted away slowly as life slipped away. "Maybe I could admit, even for a moment, that I am still as lonely now as I was then." Sasori of the Red Sand went limp, collapsing to the ground with the puppets around him.

Chiyo sighed with relief. It was done at last.

"I see you all were successful as well," Kakashi said as he and Naruto returned. Gaara was weak but awake on Naruto's back.

"Not how I wanted to be," Miyuki replied as she put the water for her ice glaive back into her water skin. "I had hoped to save him."

Chiyo looked up at Miyuki with surprise. "Why? He wasn't anything to you?"

"Because like how Naruto would give anything to save Gaara out of the mutual understanding of the other, I understand Sasori and his decisions." Her violet eyes filled with the pain of her life before Sasuke was put in her care. "I know what pain can drive you to do when it's strong enough. The sacrifices you're willing to make and the things you do your best to do without because you're afraid of having them only to lose again. I had been a coward once too, just like him."

"In the end, he did change his mind," Sakura pointed out a bit sadly. "But it was already too late."

Gaara looked at the puppet master that had once been a shinobi of the sand. "Did he? Then maybe he could have been redeemed one day."

"You would give him a second chance?" Chiyo asked the Kazekage. She wasn't sure her heart could take all these shocks. She was an old woman after all.

"Yes. I was given a second chance after doing very horrible things," Gaara answered, wincing as pain shot through his worn out body. "As such, like Miyuki, I know the value of a second chance."

Miyuki nodded her agreement. Sighing at the loss of what could have been for Sasori, she turned to gather Kankuro. "We need to get Kankuro back to the village and let Sakura treat him. Gaara needs rest too."

Chiyo didn't follow them. Instead she walked up and pulled the swords from Sasori's body. Flipping his body onto his back, she knelt next to him.

"Lady Chiyo?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

Chiyo looked over at Gaara and Naruto. "I have made so many mistakes in my life. I can only hope I'm not making another. Either way, I have a request of the two of you."

"What is it, Lady Chiyo?" Gaara asked her, concern in his sea foam eyes.

"Look after each other. You know each other's pain and are both targets of the Akatsuki. I think if you work together, you will both manage to avoid the fate those who seek you have in mind. The bond you two share could also change the future for the sand and the leaf. Hopefully to something better than the one created my frivolous old people like me." She held her hands out over Sasori and called on her chakra. "If this turns out to be a mistake, I'm sorry that I will be leaving you to clean up the mess."

"Very well, Lady Chiyo. If you are sure," Gaara answered in understanding.

"I am." She smiled a little. "For once, maybe I can save someone instead of break them."


	10. Information

**Ch. 10: Information**

Sasori opened his eyes. Something was wrong. His body hurt. It hurt a lot. That wasn't possible. His puppet body couldn't be hurt. Strangely enough, he could feel the sand beneath him. He'd forgotten what sand felt like. The world came into focus slowly and he could see the sky above him. Shifting, he lifted his hand. Staring at it, he realized it was flesh and bone, not wood. How in the world?

"Lady Chiyo did it."

He looked over to see Miyuki Shimizu standing over him with an ice glaive pointed at his throat. Despite the weapon, he didn't see any hostility in her expression. If anything, she seemed hopeful.

"Granny Chiyo?" he repeated.

She nodded slowly.

"Why?"

"To give you a second chance." Miyuki slowly lowered the glaive. "It seems she decided you deserved it."

"What will you do now?" Gaara asked him.

He looked over to see the Kazekage standing next to Naruto. Sakura knelt next to the still unconscious Kankuro and Chiyo. Memory began to return slowly.

"How?"

"The puppet core developed a reanimation jutsu that was deemed forbidden and sealed away," Gaara explained, watching Sasori's face carefully. Miyuki wasn't the only one waiting to see if the Rend Sand would simply return to his criminal ways. "Lady Chiyo was the only one who knew how to use it."

"Was?"

"It cost her her life."

Sasori looked at his grandmother again. So she wasn't unconscious but dead. Something in him stirred. Pain, he realized. It was pain. Reaching up he gripped the area above his heart trying to contain it. No such luck. He felt the tears threaten to fall. He closed his eyes to stop them. Why? Why did it hurt so much? He wasn't supposed to feel anything.

Then Miyuki was there, arms around his shoulders, letting him cry on her shoulder. Without his puppet body every sensation was new and powerful. He felt the smoothness of her shirt against his still bare chest. She smelled of water and cold. There was a fine tremble to her body probably due to exhaustion. The skin of her hands brushed his shoulders in soothing circles. He'd never thought he'd feel any of these sort of things again. Now that he was, he realized just how much he missed it all.

"Let it out," she ordered him. "Don't hold it in. That's how it festers and grows. It'll poison everything in your life all over again if you let that happen."

"Shinobi don't feel."

"Yes, we do, Sasori, and that's okay. Let it out."

He buried his face in her shoulder and held on as the storm of emotion broke inside him. It felt like an eternity before he was worn out. Numbness settled in, physical and emotional. The storm left him weak and weary. He felt the movement of someone picking him up as he drifted into sleep. For the first time in decades, he dreamed.

Miyuki moved him onto her back so she could carry him while running. Sakura picked up Lady Chiyo while Kakashi took Kankuro. Gaara assured them he could move on his own now, but Naruto kept a close eye on him as they all hurried back to the village.

"Lady Chiyo had an amazing jutsu," Sakura commented, her eyes filled with sadness. She may not have known Lady Chiyo long, but the old woman made a strong impression in that short time. "He's not only alive now, but human again."

Gaara nodded in agreement. "From what I understand, she always intended to use it to help Sasori. It was why she researched and studied this reanimation jutsu. To turn a puppet into a living human."

"She didn't seem aware Sasori had turned himself into a puppet."

"I think she was going to use the jutsu on one of his parents."

Sakura's eyes widened then looked up at the puppet master asleep on Miyuki's back. "I don't understand. He had so much. Why did he just give it all up?"

"It's easy to get lost when you're determined," Kakashi answered her, his eye on Miyuki. "Think about Miyuki and Sasuke. Both of them had been swallowed by darkness. The only reason Sasuke didn't do what Sasori did is because he had Miyuki to guide him early on. Before the darkness had him completely closed off."

Sakura looked at Miyuki, remembering how she'd admitted to understanding Sasori. Just like she'd understood Sasuke. Two shinobi who'd had something they loved ripped away when they were young. That loss had defined them in so many ways, and they let the pain of that loss swallow them whole. Like she had with Sasuke, Miyuki had been there to help Sasori when he came to as a flesh and blood.

"Do you think he'll be okay, Kakashi-sensei?"

"That's up to him now. If your assessment of his change of heart near the end is accurate, I think there's room to hope."

"He called it all pointless, but if he were to entertain the pointless for a moment, he would do things differently." She sent up a silent prayer that Sasori wouldn't waste this chance.

They reached Suna. The entire village seemed to be out to greet Gaara. Sea foam eyes widened in disbelief. A lone woman just about Gaara's age raced forward. Her blonde hair flew behind her with the speed she used to reach him. Blue eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around him.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Gaara," she cried, holding him tight.

Gaara slid an arm around her in comfort. "Sorry to worry you, Reina."

She shook her head. "Just try not to do it often, okay? Though if you had been gone a moment longer, an entire regiment was about to be sent after you." Reina stepped back to get a good look at him. "You don't look too injured."

"Thanks to Naruto and Kakashi, I'm not. They were just in time," Gaara answered.

"I wonder who she is?" Naruto murmured curiously.

"Reina is Gaara's girlfriend," Temari supplied as she stepped up next to him. "She was the only medic willing to tend to him after your fight three years ago. They've been close since."

Baki joined them by this point with a relieved smile. "Welcome back, Lord Kazekage. Your people are waiting to greet you."

"Lady Chiyo first," Gaara said, looking back where Sakura held the old woman. "She deserves honors for her part in saving me and bringing an asset back to our village."

Lady Chiyo was honored as a hero in the village. Once she was through the gate other shinobi took her to prepare her for her funeral. Gaara did a lot of explaining as Sakura hurried after Kakashi who was taking Kankuro to the hospital to deal with the poison coursing through him. Miyuki took Sasori to the hospital as well, where members of Suna's Anbu were stationed around his room at Gaara's order. He was willing to give Sasori a chance, that didn't mean he was going to be stupid about it.

With Sakura's expertise, Kankuro was well on his way to recovery. Plans were being made for Lady Chiyo's funeral. Many, including Naruto, Kakashi, and Miyuki, began to help with repairs to Suna.

Sasori woke again, this time to find the Kazekage standing next to his bed. Pushing himself up, he faced Gaara and waited for what was to come next.

"I have told no one about your involvement in the Third's death," Gaara began, his face and voice as expressionless as ever. "Those who know have sworn to keep it to themselves."

"Why?"

"Because the village will not be as understanding as I am." Gaara remembered words Naruto once told him during the Chunin exams all those years ago. "I have been there. In that dark and lonely place. But now I have others there with me. They saved me from that place. I want to return the favor to you. I want to save you from that if you'll let me. Just like Naruto saved me."

Sasori looked down at his hands. He'd forgotten how soft a blanket could feel on skin. "I don't even know how to change, even if I wanted to."

"You've already begun, Sasori Akasuna." Gaara reached out a hand holding Sasori's shinobi headband. "So, will you rejoin your village and help protect our people? Will you honor your grandmother's dying wish to find the life you once threw away?"

Sasori stared silently for a long moment at the Kazekage. Slowly, he took the offered headband. No words needed to be said.

Gaara began dealing with that immediately. He informed the council that he was pardoning Sasori of his crimes on the condition that he rejoin Suna shinobi and tell them all he knew about the Akatsuki. The information he could give them was enough to convince them to allow it. However, Sasori was going to be on probation for at least a year to prove he could be trusted again. Sasori accepted these terms without complaint.

Surprisingly enough, it was Kankuro who helped Sasori make the first big step on his new path. Since Sasori was on probation, Kankuro put him to work in the puppet core. With Sasori's help and training, Gaara's brother knew there would be vast improvements among the puppet users of Suna.

"And this will be more of an eternal legacy than living forever could ever be," Kankuro informed him bluntly. "Those puppets you made aren't lifeless. You put your soul into each one and that will be there forever. Even if no one remembers who made the puppets any true puppet master will feel it in the puppets as they work."

Sasori's eyes widened at the thought then looked around. He did see the evidence of that with the puppets Kankuro used. Those three puppets had been his creations and they are still here and in use. He asked Kankuro if he could retrieve the mother and father puppets. He wanted to pass those along too. With that, Sasori found a place for himself. The rest of the village was still wary of him, but it was a start.

After Chiyo's funeral, Sasori was called into a meeting with Gaara, Reina, the leaf shinobi, Temari, Kankuro, and Baki. It was time to start with the information sharing portion of his deal.

"First, I wish to share something that isn't entirely about the Akatsuki," he began after looking at Sakura. "You wished to know about Orochimaru?"

She nodded, hope blooming in her chest. Sasuke. They still hadn't heard from him and she was beyond worried at this point.

"I had a sleeper agent working for the snake. We are supposed to meet so that he can give me the information I need to get rid of Orochimaru."

"Why would you want him dead?" Miyuki asked curiously.

"He betrayed the Akatsuki and tried to kill Itachi in the process."

"Are you telling me that Itachi is stronger than one of the legendary Sannin?" Naruto demanded in disbelief.

"At least stronger than that particular sannin, yes. Itachi is perhaps the strongest shinobi I have ever come across." Sasori returned his attention to Sakura. "Anyway, the spy has been converted entirely to Orochimaru's side. The snake knows me too well, I suppose. The meet is likely going to end as an attempt on my life. If you wish, I will keep the appointment so you may capture or kill Orochimaru yourself."

Sakura jumped over and hugged Sasori. "Thank you so much. That is exactly what we need."

Sasori froze for a moment. Her hair brushed gently against his skin. The warmth of her seeped in and seemed to fill him too. How much had he forgotten about basic human contact when in a puppet body unable to fully appreciate it? He'd never be so stupid as to give this up again, he promised himself as Sakura stepped back still smiling at him.

"I take it you're still looking to bring Sasuke Uchiha back?" Gaara asked the leaf shinobi curiously.

"Of course," Naruto answered, careful to remember that no one outside of Team Kakashi knew the truth of Sasuke's defection. Like Sakura the lack of word from the Uchiha worried him. "What kind of Hokage would I be if I can't even save my own friend?"

Gaara closed his eyes a moment and remembered how much he owed Naruto. Opening them again, he said, "Very well. I can make an exception to Sasori's probation to allow him to help you trap Orochimaru. Would you like others of Suna to help?"

"We'll need to discuss with the Hokage before making any solid plans," Kakashi answered. "I'm sure she'll keep you posted."

"As will I about all Sasori shares with us about the Akatsuki. Especially as it concerns Naruto as well."

Sasori's gaze moved to the nine-tail jinchuriki. "You are Itachi's target. He will come after you eventually."

Naruto worried about that for a moment. He clearly still needed to get stronger, but he wasn't sure where to start at this point. His rage had released part of the nine-tails earlier. If not for Kakashi, he might have lost himself entirely. He needed another kind of power he could rely on. More than even the sage mode allowed him. Mostly because the fox could keep him from using it. Maybe Jiraiya-sensei would have something.

"We'll count on you for the sharing. I think we should get back to Konoha and tell Lady Tsunade about Orochimaru. The Akatsuki are a problem but he's going to be the priority for us. As long as he has Sasuke anyway," Kakashi decided after thinking it over for a moment.

Gaara reached out a hand towards Naruto. After a moment of hesitation, Naruto accepted the hand as the two shook. "Thank you, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto grinned. "You'd do the same for me."

Reina stepped forward and kissed Naruto's cheek. "Thank you very much for saving him."

The fox jinchuriki blushed and fidgeted uncomfortably, making the others laugh or give amused smile based on personality. Laughing herself, Reina stepped back to stand next to Gaara. Sakura looked between them and smiled. She was glad Gaara had someone to care for him the way Reina obviously did.

Sasori looked directly at Miyuki. "I specifically thank you, Miyuki Shimizu."

She jerked with surprise. "Me?"

He nodded. "If you hadn't told me to let it out, I'd just repeat the same mistakes I'd made in the past. I'd end up right back where I started."

"And what will you do now?"

"I'm teaching others the art of puppeteering, just like my grandmother taught me. I'm also going to work with the medical core. I know plenty about medical ninjutsu. More than even my grandmother did. It's a start at least."

Smiling she offered him her hand. "Good luck, Sasori."

He accepted the hand with a nod. "Thank you."

Temari placed a hand on Sasori's shoulder while grinning at Miyuki. "Don't worry. If I can keep my little brothers in line I can certainly manage him."

"Are you adopting him now?" Miyuki asked with a chuckle.

"Someone has to. Why not add to my family."

"Then I know he's in good hands." Miyuki found Sasori's annoyed look at Temari amusing. She recognized it as the same one Sasuke used to give her when she first started to take care of him.

The leaf shinobi gave a final farewell to Gaara and his village before heading out to return to their own home. There was much to report to Lady Tsunade.


	11. Hints and Warnings

**Ch. 11: Hints and Warnings**

They reported to Tsunade as soon as they arrived in Konoha. After they were finished with the report, the Hokage sat there with her fingers laced together under her chin, processing all she learned. "You all did very well. Better than expected even, converting one of the Akatsuki to our side. The information Sasori can give us will be invaluable."

"It did work out rather well, yes," Kakashi agreed with a grin. He was leaning on Miyuki. Between the fight with Deidara and surpressing the fox's chakra when an enraged Naruto lost control, the entire battle had left Kakashi exhausted. "What do you think about the information he gave on Orochimaru?"

"I think it's a step towards locating Sasuke. He may need rescuing." She sat back as she considered her options. "You are too exhausted to go Kakashi. You're barely standing on your own anymore."

Kakashi wanted to object but knew better. He had been pushing himself since the fight with Deidara and was now paying the price. At least he'd managed to wait until after leaving Suna to lean on Miyuki.

"I know someone who can lead the squad for this mission," Tsunade assured him. "I'm sure you'll approve of Yamato."

Kakashi and Miyuki both smiled in agreement.

Miyuki said, "It'll be good to work with him again."

"Who's Yamato?" Sakura asked curiously.

"He's an old comrade of ours," Kakashi answered. "One of my most trusted ones. Don't worry, you can rely on him. I still do."

"And he can help with your nine-tails problem," Miyuki added, her smile fading. Kakashi had told her how Naruto had lost control of the nine-tails chakra. "His special jutsu is able to seal the chakra away again."

Naruto visibly relaxed. "That's good. I don't like losing control like that and knowing I could hurt someone I care about. It's difficult, especially since the fox gets in the way of using sage mode effectively"

"I think I have a way of helping with that on a more permanent basis, but we'll get to that later," Tsunade said absently. "One thing at a time. I will go get your new team member. You can meet with him tomorrow."

Naruto and Sakura nodded in agreement. Deciding it was best to rest while they could, the two of them went home. Miyuki helped Kakashi back to his apartment, helping him to sit down on his bed. When she would have left to let him rest, he grabbed her hand. She looked back at him with an indulgent smile.

"You need rest, Kakashi."

"I know. I have no energy for much else but stay anyway." His single eye gave her a pleading look. "Sasuke and you aren't the only ones with nightmares, Miyuki. When I'm this tired, mine like to rear their heads."

She relented, crawling next to him in the bed and snuggled against him. Even after three years, Miyuki could still hardly believe he'd given her a second chance. She was not going to waste it. Whatever he needed from her, she would do her best to give. He held her close as sleep laid claim to him at last. Relaxing, she let herself drift off too.

While Team Kakashi took the moment to rest. Tsunade was called in to speak with the village elders. They didn't want her to allow Naruto to go on the mission to the bridge. She was just as adamant that he be one of the ones to go.

"What if the Akatsuki are just setting a trap? This Sasori could be lying to us just to get at the fox. How are you going to make sure that doesn't happen, Tsunade?" they demanded.

Tsunade glared at them but remained calm. To be fair, even the elders didn't know the truth about Sasuke's defection. Until they found him safe and sound, Tsunade had no intention of telling them. "No offense, but we couldn't stop Naruto if we wanted to. This is the first clue he's had on how to find Sasuke. He won't let it slip by him that easily."

"At least pick other members for his team than the Ice Queen, who we all know can't be trusted."

Tsunade let the insult to Miyuki slide. Miyuki was always the first to point out that she invited such insults the day she abandoned her mission for revenge. "I already have selected someone to go with them in Kakashi's place."

"We would like you to send one other."

The two elders looked towards the door and called out for someone to enter. Danzo stepped inside. Tsunade understood immediately that he was the reason she'd been called into this meeting in the first place. She did not trust Danzo. Not even a little bit. While the foundation was supposed to be disbanded, she highly doubted Danzo had done so.

"I take it you are the one who suggested this new member for the team?" Tsunade asked, her eyes watching Danzo carefully.

"Yes. His name is Sai and he's a very skilled shinobi. I think you'll find that he'll be a great asset on this mission."

"Very well," Tsunade agreed. It wasn't like she had much choice. Once he got the elders involved her options became very limited. The bastard probably knew that. "The team is meeting in the morning. Make sure he's there."

Danzo nodded in agreement before leaving them. Tsunade left, her mind still trying to puzzle out Danzo's true intentions. She met with Yamato to go over her suspicions with him, leaving it to him to inform Miyuki. Regardless of Danzo's or the elder's thoughts on the Ice Queen, Miyuki had proven herself over the last three years. Tsunade had no intention of rewarding that with contempt.

Miyuki arrived at the meeting place first, followed closely by Sakura and Naruto. It didn't take long for Yamato and Sai to arrive. Sai's lack of understanding of others caused quite a bit of tension within the team. He then insulted Sasuke making things go downhill fast. Miyuki stepped in at that point.

"Children, enough," she snapped out, blocking Naruto and Sakura from getting to Sai. "We have a mission and that takes priority over any of this."

"That's odd coming from you," Sai pointed out, his fake smile still in place. "Aren't you the one that abandoned a mission eight years ago?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Yes, but I learned from my mistakes."

"Miyuki's right," Yamato reiterated. When Naruto started to argue back, he turned and gave Naruto a terrifying face. "Do you want this mission to succeed or not?"

"Yes, sir," Naruto practically yelped as he ducked behind Sakura.

"Naruto?" At Hinata's quiet call, he turned to grin at her. She smiled and said, "Good luck. I hope it's successful."

"Me too. Thanks, Hinata."

Sakura and Miyuki watched the exchange between them with hidden smiles.

With that, the team headed out to Tenchi bridge in the Land of Grass. Camping with Yamato proved to be much more comfortable than with others because he created houses out of wood. Sai observed them all quietly each day. After a few days of travel, Miyuki sat next to him quietly.

"I don't understand," he commented as he watched Sakura and Naruto plan how to handle things once they found Sasuke.

"What's there to understand?" she answered with a small smile, following his gaze. "They're on a rescue mission."

"He's a threat to our village."

"Only if they fail."

He turned his eyes to her. "Why? It would be a more sure thing for the village if they kill him."

"Maybe, but he's their friend and you don't give up on friends that easily. Naruto especially will do whatever it takes to protect those that matter to him." She shifted to consider him for a moment. "Sai, I know Danzo encourages a lack of emotion in his shinobi. I've seen it in others I've met from the foundation. Especially during my Anbu days. Maybe you should take this opportunity to learn about the world around you. I think you'll find it's not as black and white as Danzo would like you to believe."

Sai did as she suggested. He watched what Naruto and Sakura were willing to go through for their friend. No matter what it took they were going to rescue him. He found himself wondering if someone would ever do that for him. Certainly not anyone in the foundation.

Finally, the day of the meeting, he asked them both point blank, "Why try so hard to save him?"

"Because he's our friend," Naruto answered simply. "You always have to save your friends, even from themselves."

The simple reply had Sai flummoxed. Still, he had his own mission to accomplish. For the first time in his memory, he felt a twinge of regret. His mission would definitely ruin any chance he had of figuring out if he could become someone they'd do all this for.

Movement in the trees had them all standing, ready for a fight. They relaxed when Sasori and Temari came out of the trees. Sasori looked relatively the same. He'd exchanged the Akatsuki robes for a black high collar shirt and his usual dark pants. On his belt was a scroll pouch. He tied his headband around his upper arm.

"I didn't know you were coming, Temari," Miyuki said in place of hello.

"I've been put in charge of keeping an eye on him. While my brothers and I trust Sasori, many in the village are still uncertain of him. Part of the deal is that someone has to be close to watch him at all times. I volunteered for this particular mission." She rolled her eyes as she added, "If I didn't Gaara would have come and he's got plenty of other work to do. He was only willing to trust Kankuro, Reina, or me. He wouldn't send Reina without coming himself, and Kankuro is on another mission at the moment. So here I am."

Miyuki tilted her head in consideration. Honestly, Temari was a good partner for Sasori. She matched him in intelligence and skill. She'd be used to dealing with his demeanor as it was similar to Gaara's. Added to that, her more outgoing personality balanced his quiet one. "It was good of you to volunteer."

Sasori pulled out a scroll and summoned a puppet that those who'd met him before recognized.

Sakura pointed at it as she said, "Isn't that the one I destroyed when you were inside it?"

He nodded. "Hiruko. I rebuilt him for this meeting." Opening the puppet up, he pulled out his Akatsuki robe and the hat to put on the puppet. "And had someone make another one of these for it."

"Now, you said you think this is going to be a double cross?" Sakura clarified for those who may not already know.

Sasori nodded. "I believe Orochimaru removed the jutsu that was placed on my spy." He jumped into Hiruko but didn't close the puppet up yet. "Orochimaru was my first partner in the Akatsuki. When he left, we were told to kill him on sight as he knew too much about our plans."

Those plans made Sakura shudder. They were trying to take all the tailed beasts in order to use them as weapons and force the rest of the world under their control. This was how they intended to create peace. Personally, she'd rather place her faith in Naruto. That gave her pause. When did she come to believe his silly little childhood dream might become a reality? She looked over at him. Maybe it was the way he kept standing when others would fall. Or it could be his burning determination to protect everyone. Either way, she'd come to accept that he would be Hokage one day and she had no doubt the best one.

"Before I returned to Suna, I was going to come to this meeting only because it would be an opportunity to kill Orochimaru." He gazed in the direction of the bridge then to Yamato. "I assume you are leading this mission?"

"Yes. I am Yamato, a jonin of Konoha." He gestured the team behind him. "You know most of the team already. The one you don't would be Sai."

"What happened to Kakashi?" Temari asked, a frown of concern marring her expression.

"He overused a jutsu and needed more rest than the time frame allowed," Miyuki answered with an easy smile. Kakashi had not been okay with her coming on this mission without him there as back up. "Much to his dismay, I assure you."

"How much longer will he be down?" Sasori asked as he connected his chakra threads to Hiruko.

"Just a few more days."

"That's a relief," Temari commented, relaxing again. "Okay, so what is the plan for this meeting?"

"We will all hide on either side of the bridge to observe," Yamato began, pointing to the locations where he wanted everyone stationed during the meeting. "Sasori and his spy will meet to exchange information. If Sasori is right about this being a trap, we will come to his aid as soon as things go wrong."

"If he's right, Orochimaru may come himself," Temari pointed out.

Yamato nodded. "In which case, we capture him or the spy. Preferably both. After that, it should be simple enough to find out where his base is."

"Simple enough," Miyuki said, looking over the area. "I don't think it will be that easy to pull off."

"Probably not when our enemy is one of the legendary sannin," Yamato agreed, his mind going over all the possibilities.

"We have no choice," Naruto growled out. His fists clenched at his sides. "To find Sasuke we need to succeed at this mission. It's that simple."

Sasori closed himself inside Hiruko. His voice got that strange echoing quality and deepened a lot when he spoke again. After Temari placed the Akatsuki cloak and hat over him, he said, "Very well. I am ready."

Everyone went to their assigned position. Miyuki was with Sakura and Temari. Yamato was on the opposite side of the bridge with Naruto and Sai.

Sakura worried her bottom lip. "I hope Sai isn't bothering Naruto again."

"He's odd, but I bet he's very mission focused," Miyuki commented quietly, her eyes trained on Sasori. "Most members of the Foundation are."

"What is the Foundation?" Sakura asked.

"I'll explain later. For now, focus on the task at hand."

Nodding, Sakura gave the bridge her entire attention. Naruto could take care of himself. Besides, he wouldn't let anything get between him and saving Sasuke. The waiting lasted for an eternity. At least, that's how it felt. In reality, it was only around an hour. When the spy did arrive, Miyuki and Sakura went rigid. They recognized the shinobi as Kabuto, Orochimaru's right hand man. Miyuki was glad she'd already prepared an ice glaive for the mission. Sasori was right. This was about to become a fight.

Orochimaru came out from the trees. As usual, she couldn't help but think of a snake as she watched him. No sign of Sasuke. Though, she hadn't really expected it to be that easy. The conversation seemed to be going downhill based on body language. She couldn't actually hear a thing they were saying.

The moment Kabuto took off the puppet's head, the six shinobi sprang into action, knocking him away from Sasori. Temari checked on Sasori first. Miyuki wasn't too concerned. He'd survived having that puppet crushed with him inside it. That one attack was not going to hurt him. Sure enough, Sasori emerged from the damaged puppet unscathed.

"So, Sasori, you've left the Akatsuki too. How surprising," Orochimaru said thoughtful, as his gaze took in each and every one of them. "And I see I have the Ice Queen here as well. How exciting. Have you avenged your clan yet?"

"I did that eight years ago, Orochimaru. You're behind the times," she informed him calmly.

"Oh? I didn't realize you'd killed the mastermind yet." His golden eyes focused entirely on her. "I was sure news of a death of that importance would have reached even me as isolated as I am."

"Why would the world care about Kenta Shimizu's death," she answered with a shrug. "He wasn't important to anyone but me."

Orochimaru chuckled with a shake of his head. "You still haven't learned the truth then. How interesting."

"Shut up you bastard," Naruto snapped out. His blood red eyes bore into Orochimaru with hate and rage. "I only want you to tell me one thing. Where is Sasuke?"

"I'm afraid you're as out of luck as Miyuki here. I have no intentions of telling you anything."

Naruto's body began to shift and change. A blood red chakra seemed to surround him. As he attacked, he yelled, "Tell me!"

The others had no choice but to dodge away as Naruto's power was enough to destroy the bridge. Sakura lost her footing and fell with no means of saving herself. Miyuki watched as Sai flew right by the medical nin without sparing her a moment. Making a note to deal with him later. She tried to think of how to catch Sakura.

Lucky for them, Sasori had just the trick. After ensuring he was secure, he used his chakra strings to yank Sakura to safety.

Miyuki let out a relieved breath. Now, she just had to find her way back to the others as she was now on the opposite side of the gorge. With the bridge broken, she'd have to find another way across. Before she could begin deciding how best to handle that, she sensed a presence behind her. Spinning around, she readied her glaive. "Come out, Itachi. I know you're there."

Crows gathered forming Itachi from dark feathers. "I'm not here to fight."

"Oh that's just fine then," she answered drily. "I'll do all the fighting then."

"Wait. Listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"A better question, why haven't you helped Sasuke yet?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been keeping an eye on him. He sent a message six months ago asking for help from Konoha. Why hadn't he gotten that help?" Itachi knew the answer, he was wondering if Miyuki did.

"Are you accusing us of abandoning him?" she asked in a low growl of insult.

"No. I know you would never abandon him. That leaves only one conclusion."

"No. That leave two. Either you are a lying scumbag, which is very likely. Or, you think someone prevented us from getting that message."

"I have never lied."

Miyuki snorted. "You lied about a lot, Itachi. You were the one that informed me you thought fighting and death should be a last resort. Yet you slaughtered and entire clan and left your brother to deal with the aftermath." Her hands tightened on the staff of her glaive. "You did to him what my uncle did to me."

Itachi pushed his hair back as he considered Miyuki through red sharingan eyes. "Believe me or not, but someone in the village means Sasuke harm."

"And why would you want to help now? Why the change of heart, Itachi?"

"There is no change," he replied with an indifferent shrug. "Simply that we now have two mutual enemies. The traitor in the leaf and Orochimaru."

She straightened, her violet eyes searching his for something to that would tell her to trust or not. "You never made much sense to me, Itachi. Fighting wasn't something you enjoyed, but you became a shinobi. You always avoided killing when able, but you slaughtered your clan. Now, after betraying everything, you try to help us. What am I supposed to think about that, Kid?"

He nearly flinched at the old nickname. Miyuki had that habit with those younger than her that she had any part in taking care of. Being eight years younger than she was, he'd accepted the term without complaint. It wasn't until he learned of her clan from Kakashi that he relized why she called him a kid. It wasn't a term of disrespect or even a belief he wasn't capable. It had more to do with reminding herself and others of his age. Miyuki hadn't been a kid since she was four years old. As a result, she always believed that kids should remain kids as long as they were able. After all that had happened, he couldn't help but feel this time, when she called him that, it was meant as a slap. A reminder that once she would have had his back if only he'd asked. He regretted nothing more in this moment than not asking when he had the chance.

"Think what you want. I am merely undermining my enemies, which are the same as yours at the moment."

"Not all of them. The akastuki are my enemies as well," she reminded him.

"But not the priority at the moment, are we?"

She sighed. A large explosion had her looking over her shoulder. When she looked back, Itachi was gone. "Can't say I'm surprised."

Turning, she hurried towards the fight. She'd just have to deal with Itachi later. First thing first. She had to help Yamato get control of Naruto. Turned out, Yamato had things well in hand. By the time she found them, Naruto unconscious but had the fox's chakra under control again. Sakura was healing him while the other three jonin stood watch.

"I'm glad to see everyone is okay," Miyuki greeted them as she stepped out from the trees. She kept the conversation with Itachi to herself for now. There was nothing they could do about him at the moment or even the potential warning he gave. She'd bring it up with the Hokage once they returned to Konoha.

"Almost," Sakura answered, keeping her focus on mending Naruto. "He'll be back to normal in just a moment."

As Sakura healed Naruto, Miyuki examined their surroundings. She saw no sign of Orochimaru or Kabuto. She frowned as she realized she didn't see Sai either. Now where did he run off too?

"What happened to him?" Sasori asked, his eyes on Naruto.

"That was the fox spirit inside him," Temari answered, her eyes lost in memory. "It happens to Gaara too. When he feels rage or pain. It's the reason Gaara keeps himself so contained these days."

Miyuki nodded in agreement. "Naruto isn't very good with the contained part. I'm surprised it hasn't happened more often."

Naruto pushed himself up, gasping for breath. "Damn it. Now we've lost our only lead and it's all my fault."

"We haven't lost the lead," Yamato corrected him. He explained that he had a wood clone following Orochimaru even as they spoke. "I will be able to take us right to him. However, you should know that Sai is a double agent of sorts."

"So Danzo does have an ulterior motive." Miyuki's tone was as cold as the air around her while her ice jutsu was active. She remembered Itachi's warnings about a traitor in Konoha. She doubted Danzo would ever see himself as a traitor.

"It would seem so though what that mission is isn't clear to me yet. Only that Danzo has a proposition for Orochimaru."

"They were allies before from what I understand," Miyuki commented thoughtfully. "Danzo and Orochimaru, I mean. Though I thought that ended the day Orochimaru defected."

"So did I, but we'll find out more soon enough."

Naruto jumped to his feet. "Then let's get going. He might take us right to Sasuke."

They hurried after them. As they got closer, stealth became their priority. They really didn't want Orochimaru to know they were there. Here, there was plenty of moisture in the air so Miyuki let her ice glaive melt so it wouldn't hinder her movements. The first person they found was Sai. Yamato acted before the very angry Naruto and Sakura could, restraining Sai with his wood style.

"Good to see you again, Sai," Miyuki greeted pleasantly. She summoned her ice glaive and pointed the blade at Sai's throat. "Now explain yourself."

"Danzo sent me here to form an alliance with Orochimaru to destroy Konoha," Sai answered easily enough, careful not to move an inch with that sharp blade at his throat.

"I see." Her cold tone sent shivers down everyone's spine.

"But, I am not going to complete the mission."

"You are here," Yamato pointed out. "And seemed very friendly with Orochimaru."

"Yes, because I wish to help you. If I stay here, I might be able to find Sasuke for you." Sai risked moving enough to look at Naruto. "I wish to be someone you would be willing to rescue. Like you would for Sasuke. I want to help."

"How would leaving you here help? You'd still have to tell us," Naruto asked doubtfully.

"For the deal Danzo wishes to make, I would have to return to Konoha to report to Danzo. Instead, I would come and report to you."

Sai seemed earnest enough and his plan was sound. Miyuki looked at Yamato. When he nodded, she stepped away, allowing her blade to drop. Smiling at Naruto, she said, "You're just converting all sorts of people, aren't you?"

"Technically, you converted Sasuke and Sasori," he reminded her with one of his grins. Crouching, he looked Sai in the eye. "I get that you don't know how to deal with the whole emotions thing. It's got to complicate things for you. And yes, I would be willing to give you a chance. But, if you get in my way on this, I will not forgive so easily. I can't let anyone stop me from saving Sasuke."

Sai held out a hand. "I won't get in the way."

Naruto took the offered hand.


	12. Rescuing Sasuke

**Ch. 12: Rescue Sasuke**

None of them wanted to return to Konoha, leaving Sai with Orochimaru when they barely trusted him. There wasn't much choice. Yamato was careful to report the events only to Tsunade. Miyuki has also made sure to inform Yamato of Itachi's visit so he could relay the conversion to Tsunade. Yamato was very careful to make sure he told only Tsunade of the events. No one wanted to give Danzo a chance to muck things up.

Miyuki went straight to Kakashi's to tell him everything as well. As she finished explaining the events of the mission to him, Kakashi stood to look out his window. He thought about the scars on Miyuki he'd found that first night of reconciliation between them that hadn't been there before. He hated the idea that he hadn't been there to prevent new ones. "I should have been there with you. You almost had to fight Itachi by yourself."

"You will be with me when we go after Sasuke," she replied with a shrug. "Kakashi, we are skilled and trained. If you had come, I wouldn't have been nearly as focused for worrying about you and how exhausted you were."

Acknowledging the truth of that, he let it go. There was no help for it. This was hardly the first and it wouldn't be the last time she had to go on a mission without him to watch her back. He turned to face her. "Do we know how long before Sai is supposed to get back?"

"No. But, Yamato will be talking with Tsunade right now. I'm sure they'll decide on a limit of time to give him."

"No one was hurt?"

"Nothing too severe." Smiling with reassurance, she turned slowly so he could see she wasn't injured. "See?"

He stepped forward and touched the hem of her shirt, his fingers slipping just beneath it. He felt the shiver run through her at his touch. "Not really. You have hidden your injuries with your shirt before."

"I kept my promise and made sure you knew when I was hurt." Her violet eyes met his single dark eye. "But if you want, you can always check more thoroughly. I don't mind."

Grinning, he pulled her to him as he pulled his mask down. "Don't mind if I do."

* * *

It took Sai three days to return to the village. Proving he was true to his word, he went straight for Naruto. It was dark out, so he found himself pinned to a wall with a kunai at his throat when he slipped into Naruto's home. Maybe he should have knocked.

Naruto stepped back when he realized who it was. "Sai? Did you find Sasuke?"

"Not exactly." Sai rubbed at his throat before continuing. "I know he is in that village somewhere. But I couldn't risk looking for his exact location without raising suspicion."

Naruto grinned wide. "But he's there?"

At Sai's nod, Naruto cheered. Dashing into his room, he quickly changed. Hurrying back out, he called for Sai to follow him as he raced for Tsunade. The Hokage listened to the report carefully. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes to think how best to handle the situation.

"We'll need a good fighting force, won't we?" She asked Sai.

He nodded. "It is a shinobi village. Then there's Orochimaru."

Tsunade began writing a message immediately. "I'll inform the Kazekage of the development. Suna owes Orochimaru for the death of their Fourth Kazekage so I'm sure they'd be happy to help us out again."

Naruto was practically vibrating with excitement. Finally, he'd be able to save Sasuke from whatever happened to him. He refused to believe that the lack of messages in the last eight months was because the Uchiha really had turned traitor. Something happened.

"I'll have to tell everyone the truth about Sasuke's mission," Tsunade spoke absently. "Otherwise we'll have problems with the others agreeing to risk themselves for him."

"Orochimaru is almost ready to take Sasuke's body over anyway." They all looked at the door to see Jiraiya standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. "It's time to extract him in any case."

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Are you going to help?"

He grinned. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Shikamaru was called in along with the rest of Team Kakashi. Once all were updated about everything, including the fact that Sasuke hadn't really defected, Shikamaru let out a long sigh. "This is going to be such a drag. First thing we'll need is to get Sasuke's location. Neji and Hinata are out best options, so we'll want them both on the team going. As we're going up against a Sannin and we don't know why Sasuke has been incommunicado these last eight months, we should make sure we have a decent fighting force."

"Select any shinobi you want that isn't gone on a mission," Tsunade told him. "I don't want to waste time. As soon as I have word from Suna, we will be heading out."

"We?"

"Yes. We. Orochimaru is as much my responsibility as Jiraiya's." Her eyes unfocused as she thought about the past. "We can't let him do as he pleases anymore." She refocused on Shikamaru. "Be as subtle as you can. Danzo is up to something and I don't want to have to deal with him right now."

Sai fidgeted. "Um, Lady Tsunade."

She met his gaze. "Don't worry, Sai. I know you can be trusted after all this."

"That's not it, though I appreciate that I already made a step towards forming my own bonds. Lord Danzo. I lied about the mission he gave me to both you and Orochimaru." Sai didn't bother with the fake smile at the moment. "The real mission he gave me was to kill Sasuke Uchiha. Of course, he doesn't know that Sasuke isn't really a missing-nin."

Miyuki felt rage boil through her. "Excuse me."

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Easy now. Obviously, the mission will fail as Sai is helping us rescue Sasuke."

"He could send someone else," Naruto growled out. "He would too. Believe it."

"He won't because I'm still not telling him anything," Tsunade interjected. She sat back with a sigh. "We'll make do without his foundation. With the exception of Sai."

Shikamaru nodded as he worked through the plan in his head. "Okay. I'll start making the arrangements."

Konoha became a hive of activity. All involved kept what was truly happening to themselves.

When Sai reported to Danzo, he only told him that he'd failed to locate Sasuke thus far but would have other opportunities. With his fake smile in place, he said, "The Sound Village is much larger than I anticipated."

"It can't be helped. When will you go back?" Danzo asked calmly.

"In just a couple of days. I don't want to appear to rush."

"Fair enough." Danzo was no fool. He knew something was going on in the village but had yet to find out what. The Hokage was being very tight lipped on the whole thing. She refused to even update the elders on what she was up to at the moment. The weak willed fools let her get away with it too. She may be suspicious of Sai's mission. He would have to tread carefully and quickly to ensure she didn't interfere. "Do what you must to complete the mission as quickly as you can. We don't have a lot of time to spare before Tsunade figures out what the plan is."

Sai nodded and left. He needed to meet up with Neji and Hinata Hyuga. They had requested a map of the Sound Village. Or at least as much of one as he was able to give.

When he arrived, Team Kakashi was present as well. Naruto was talking animatedly to the two Hyugas. Sai paused, observing the interaction, trying to find the key to forming the bonds he saw between them all.

"You really think you can find him?" Naruto was asking them, his eyes brimming with hope and fear.

"Yes," Hinata answered with a reassuring smile.

"It shouldn't be a problem with our byakugan," Neji agreed. "The trick will be doing so and getting to him before alerting Orochimaru to our presence."

"Have we heard from the Kazekage?" Miyuki asked from her place next to Kakashi.

Sakura nodded. "Yes. They are sending their own team and we will be meeting them at a rendezvous point outside of the Sound Village. That way we don't alert Danzo to anything he isn't already aware of."

"He knows something is going on," Sai told them, finally joining the conversation. He smiled for them. "I could tell when I reported to him."

"Could you tell how much he is aware of?" Kakashi asked him, absently touching the headband covering his sharingan. He hadn't forgotten the lengths Danzo would go to in order to accomplish something.

"Not really. Lord Danzo isn't an easy man to read. I don't believe he has figured out what Lady Tsunade is up to, only that she is up to something."

"I hope she manages to slip away without alerting him," Miyuki muttered. The mention of Danzo had her stepping closer to Kakashi. She had been in his team in Anbu when Danzo had sent Yamato after Kakashi's eye. She doubted Lord Danzo would ever realize just how closely he'd come to managing to rank above her uncle as far as her hatred went. Even now, she felt the anger simmering beneath her calm exterior.

Kakashi must have somehow seen it too because he leaned into her just a little. The light pressure of his arm pressed into hers helped soothe her enough to relax again.

"Lady Tsunade said she had a plan for that already," Sakura assured them. "I think it has something to do with Jiraiya, but she wouldn't give me details."

Sai pulled out a page from his sketchbook and held it out to Neji and Hinata. "This is the map you wanted. I'm sorry it's incomplete."

"It's more than we had before." Neji said as he and Hinata studied it. "And even if there are sections you don't know the details of, it looks like you were able to at least outline the perimeter of the village, so we know how big it is. That will help in determining where we need to position ourselves for a thorough search."

Sakura placed a gentle hand on Sai's shoulder. "Thank you, Sai."

"May I ask why you are determined to save him?"

"I love him." For Sakura is was and would always be that simple.

Naruto's smile went from goofy to soft. He couldn't wait to see Sakura truly happy again after getting Sasuke home again. She put up a good front but he could tell she missed the Uchiha. It was like Sasuke had taken a piece of her with him when he left and she wasn't whole without it.

"I'm not sure I know what that means," Sai admitted thoughtfully.

"It's not easy to explain," Miyuki told him with a rueful smile. "Believe me I spent years trying to understand it. The simplest way I can thing to explain is that love is when someone else's happiness comes before your own."

He remained silent, processing what he'd learned today.

"Alright." Neji made his way to the door. "I'm going to Shikamaru and go over the map with him."

"I should go too," Hinata agreed. She hesitated at the door then turned to look at Naruto with a soft smile. "Don't worry, Naruto. I…I mean we will all do all we can to save Sasuke."

He nodded. "Thank you, Hinata. I know I can count on everyone."

She blushed then hurried away.

Miyuki couldn't help the smile that escaped her usual neutral expression. "She's got it bad."

"I hope Naruto's prepared to deal with her father," Kakashi agreed.

"He has to notice first." Miyuki looked up at Kakashi. "He might be even more clueless than I was, and I doubt Hinata will use your blunt approach to deal with it."

"We'll work on it after we rescue Sasuke." Kakashi made his way to the door with a look that told her to follow him. Once outside, he said, "We'll probably be heading out in the morning."

She nodded her agreement as she let him take her hand, lacing her fingers with his. "Better make the most of tonight then."

"You read my mind."

Kakashi's prediction proved true. Shikamaru sent word for everyone involved in the mission to make their way out of the village and meet up at the rendezvous point. Team Kakashi headed out together, slipping out of the village from the training grounds.

The mission team from Konoha consisted of all of rookie 9, team 10, and their jonin leaders. They met up with the teams from Suna a few days from the Sound Village. Naruto was relieved to see that the Suna shinobi included Gaara and his siblings. Surprisingly enough Sasori was there too.

"I thought you were on probation still," Naruto commented, pointing at Sasori.

"I am," he agreed with a shrug. "But the one who's supposed to keep an eye on me is here, so here I am."

Temari shot him a look that said he'd upset her somehow. Then again, she wasn't exactly mild mannered. Shikamaru couldn't help the grin at the look. He wished he could watch as she gave the ex s-class criminal hell. It would be entertaining if nothing else.

"Shikamaru, you are supposed to be going over the plan," Ino reminded him, making him wince.

His lazy gaze moved to her. A part of him wondered if she still had a thing for the Uchiha. The rest of him was a little concerned about the answer. Well, he'd find out soon enough and he was a patient shinobi.

"Right."

Moving up to Gaara, the two began their plans. Temari and Kankuro stood with them. All the leaf shinobi were well aware of the plan already as they'd gone over it a million times looking for gaps or problems. Temari made a few suggestions that would prove useful.

Once the Kazekage approved of the plan, everyone grabbed a radio then went to their respective position with each shinobi having at least one partner to watch their back. Once that was done, Hinata and Neji went to work. Tenten was Neji's partner as they hurried to one side of the Sound village. Naruto insisted on being partnered with Hinata. He wanted to be within sight of the village and make sure nothing happened to Hinata as she searched.

Shikamaru hadn't argued with him. Naruto was a capable and protective shinobi. Who better to have at your back? Hinata couldn't be in better hands.

Sakura partnered with Sai. Their assignment would be to head for Sasuke the moment one of the Hyugas found him. She and Sai waited just within sight of the village walls.

Naruto kept himself focused on the area around Hinata. As much as he wanted to search the village himself, his job was to protect her in case someone found them. Her byakugan eyes scanned the village in front of her. She knew what Sasuke's chakra signature looked like. Even after all these years, it wouldn't have changed that much. Grew stronger maybe but that would only make it easier to find.

In their ear, they heard Neji through the radio. "Hinata, check to the southwest. I see something familiar but I am not as familiar with Sasuke as you would be."

She moved so she could get a good look. Smiling in relief, she said, "Yes. That is him."

They heard Sai say, "That's what Kabuto referred to as the prison area. I don't know why they'd have the Uchiha there."

"We'll find out shortly," Shikamaru spoke quietly. "Sakura, Sai. You're up. Neji and Hinata will guide you."

Sakura and Sai moved carefully through the village, making sure not to raise awareness of their location. They didn't want to begin the fight until they ensured Sasuke's safety. If he was injured, they were to extract him. If he wasn't, they were to inform him of the situation so he could join the fray. Sakura shoved back the fear that he was helping Orochimaru in any way. Sasuke would not betray them. She slid her hand into the pouch where she kept his headband. He'd promised.

With the two Hyuga's help, they reached a normal seeming building. Sakura used her medical chakra to knock out the guard on the roof. The two of them slipped inside then searched for Sasuke. When Sakura found him, her heart plummeted. He was locked in a cell with a blindfold over his eyes. His body looked battered and bruised. Chains on his wrist kept him pinned to the wall without much room for movement.

The moment Sai had the door opened, Sakura rushed to Sasuke's side. She kept her voice to a whisper despite her urgency. "Sasuke? Are you okay?"

Her fingers trembled as they searched for a pulse. When she felt the steady beat of his heart, she nearly went limp with relief. She became aware of Sai updating the others as he unlocked the chains holding Sasuke to the wall. The Uchiha slumped forward in Sakura's arms. She heard him moan in pain. For the first time in her life, she now understood how rage had taken over Miyuki and Sasuke so thoroughly before. At this moment, nothing mattered more than making those that hurt Sasuke pay.

"Breath, Sakura," she heard Miyuki tell her through the radio. The older woman's tone was as calm as ever. "Take care of Sasuke first. Then go punch Orochimaru's face in."

"Right," Sakura managed, shaking her head to clear it. "We are moving out."

Sakura lifted Sasuke onto her back. It would be the best way to carry him and keep and eye out. At this moment, she'd be relying heavily on Sai. They reached the roof of the building without incident. Both Hyugas were suddenly shouting in her ear. They were a second too late. Kabuto landed on the roof with a smirk. "Well, well. Look what I've found."

Sai moved to stand between Sakura and Kabuto.

"To think, you were just here to find Sasuke all along," Kabuto said with a mournful shake of his head. "Lord Orochimaru knew he couldn't trust a deal from Danzo."

"Sakura, run." Sai pulled out a paintbrush and paper. "I'll buy you time."

"But…"

"You can't fight while carrying Sasuke," Sai reminded her sternly. "Go. I'll catch up."

"You aren't going anywhere." Kabuto went for Sakura only to be blocked by one of Sai's drawings come to life.

Sakura ran as fast as she was able with Sasuke on her back. The moment she found a quiet dark alley to hide in, she ducked into it. Out of options, she lowered Sasuke to the ground and began healing him right there. Working as fast as she was able, she prayed it would be fast enough to get him able to walk. Bruises and cuts littered his skin. His lips and skin were cracked from the dehydration and she could see he hadn't been fed nearly enough food for a man his size. Orochimaru had clearly decided that cowing Sasuke could only be done through abuse.

"We should have gotten here sooner," she whispered. Her heart squeezed painfully to see Sasuke is such a state. He was always so strong. How dare Orochimaru do this to him.

Dark eyes slowly opened. "Sakura?"

"Sasuke," she breathed in relief, unable to stop the tears. "Thank goodness."

"I knew you'd come," he slurred slowly.

"Give me just a little longer and I might can have you walking at least." She put all her focus on her medical chakra. "We've been found so we may not have much time."

"We are moving in," she heard Shikamaru say in her ear. "A full scale assault may just distract them all enough to keep Orochimaru away from you and Sasuke."

"Right," she replied.

"Naruto his heading your way. Just hang in there," Tsunade assured her.

"It's far too late to save you now," a smooth and terrifying voice spoke behind her.

Sakura surged to her feet and faced Orochimaru. Her stomach was suddenly tied in knots. Fear created a bitter taste in her mouth. Despite that, she pulled on her gloves quickly and took a fighting stance. Behind her, she could hear Sasuke try to get up. Clenching fists, she swore Orochimaru wasn't going to hurt Sasuke again. At least, not while she was alive to stop it. No matter how scared she was. She couldn't let him get to Sasuke.

Orochimaru smiled at her and there was no warmth in it. "How cute. You're going to fight me."

Her emerald eyes narrowed. "Yes. You aren't touching Sasuke again."

"Very well then." Orochimaru's golden eyes met hers, making chill run down her spine as her body shook. "I'll be nice and let you have the first chance to hit me then."

Sakura wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She smirked and put all her effort into that first punch. It connected with Orochimaru's shoulder as he underestimated her ability and didn't dodge fast enough. He slammed into a wall behind him and grinned a little. This girl had been trained by Tsunade. He should have known. Grinning, he pulled out his sword. He went on the attack. Sakura dodged every single swipe of his sword, but she couldn't see an opening to get in a hit of her own. When he used a fireball jutsu, it came so close to hitting her that she felt the heat of it when she moved to the side. Despite it missing, Orochimaru smirked.

Something in his eyes had her glancing over her shoulder. Sakura never moved so fast in her life. Orochimaru had never intended to hit her. He aimed for Sasuke. She managed to get to him in time to get him out of the way of the attack. Her relief was short lived as pain shot through her. A sword emerged from her middle.

"Tsunade should have taught you to pay attention to everything around you," Orochimaru informed her with a smirk. "Too late now I guess."

"Sakura," Sasuke shouted, trying to stand again. He'd never felt so helpless in his life. Even when his clan had been killed. Damn that snake. "I'll kill you, Orochimaru. I swear."

"You won't get the chance to, Sasuke." Orochimaru pulled his sword out of her.

Sakura collapsed to the ground.

Sasuke felt something inside him shift. The rage and hate that always simmered below the surface roared to life. Pain filled every nerve ending. He couldn't look away from her. When Orochimaru calmly walked around her, the snake reached down and grabbed Sasuke's arm. Sasuke glared at Orochimaru and began to pull on his chakra. To his surprise, Orochimaru released him and jumped back. Before he could process this fact, explosions rocked the village.

"Damn it," Orochimaru cursed as he looked up at the clouds of dust filling the air.

Judging by the enormous waves of sand, Gaara was nearby. Sasuke shouted out. "Here. Over here."

Orochimaru reached out to silence him but didn't get the chance. A fist connected to his face sending him flying back. A very angry Naruto stood there heaving air in and out. Sweat trickled down his face. "Don't you lay a hand on him."

"Another one," Orochimaru sighed as he pushed to his feet.

Sasuke managed to push himself over to Sakura, cursing his weak body. Shaking fingers touched the pulse on her neck. When he felt the steady beat, he nearly wept with relief. "Naruto, she needs help. Now."

"I can't just leave you with him," Naruto objected, blue eyes still glaring daggers into Orochimaru.

"Sakura is more important."

"Don't be so stupid. If you get hurt or Orochimaru does something to you, she dies with you anyway." Naruto clenched fists as he remembered Sakura's smile when she realized they were going to get Sasuke back. "She's not whole without you. So I have to save you both. Not just you or just her."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto then back at Sakura. Narrowing his eyes, he forced himself to move again, trying to make his tired and sore body cooperate with his need to get up. A hand rested on his shoulder, easing him back down. Looking up he saw Jiraiya was there. The toad sage pointed with a grin. Following the gesture, Sasuke felt relief. Tsunade knelt next to Sakura, tending to her wound.

Sakura opened her eyes and grimaced. "Sorry, Lady Tsunade. I was careless."

"You better be. Training will get really tough for you for a while when we get back," Tsunade promised her with a smile that contradicted her stern tone. Looking over at Sasuke. "I suppose I can understand this once though."

Standing, Tsunade and Jiraiya moved to flank Naruto.

"Get your friends to safety," Jiraiya ordered Naruto, all traces of his usual smile and ease gone. "We'll deal with Orochimaru."

Naruto nodded. Racing over, he grabbed Sasuke and pulled one of the Uchiha's arms over his shoulder. "Sakura."

"I'm up," she answered, pushing to her feet. She still hurt and the blood loss made her dizzy, but she could move.

Looking up, her eyes widened. "Sasuke, your eyes are different."

"The sharingan," he answered. He felt it activate when she was injured.

"No. It's different. I mean it's red and there is the black markings, but they aren't the normal ones." She hesitated then said, "It looks like what Kakashi-sensei calls the mangekyo sharingan. He has one too."

Sasuke jerked with surprise.

"We'll talk about it later," Naruto told them when he felt the chakra build up behind him as the three sannin prepared to battle. "We need to get out of here."

Sakura moved over to take Sasuke's other arm. Between the two of them, they were able to leap away from the impending fight. Glancing over at Naruto as they hurried away, Sakura said, "I'm surprised you didn't argue with Jiraiya about leaving. You wanted to fight Orochimaru after all."

"Yes, but you two are more important."

She smiled. He really would make a great Hokage one day. Glancing over her shoulder, she wished her sensei and Jiraiya luck. Hopefully, Orochimaru didn't' manage to slither away again.

"Kabuto can't help him this time," Naruto growled. "Gaara and Sasori are fighting him. He doesn't stand a chance."

Sasuke felt himself slipping into unconsciousness again. "I can't…stay awake."

"We have you, Sasuke," Sakura assured him. "Go ahead and rest. No one is going to hurt you again."

"Not me I'm worried about."

"No one will hurt us either." Naruto nodded to the side.

Sasuke saw the other leaf shinobi on the roofs, readying themselves for a fight.

"We have back up. Sakura is right. You can rest easy now. We'll get you home before you wake again."

Relaxing at last, Sasuke let sleep claim him. Certain in the promises of his friends that he was finally going home and they would be safe.


	13. Home at Last

**Ch. 13: Home at Last**

While Naruto and Sakura were racing off with the injured Sasuke, Miyuki and Kakashi caught up to Tsunade and Jiraiya. The fight had already begun. Tsunade was coming down from above with a fist ready. Orochimaru jumped to the side. Jiraiya was waiting for him. The three moved with such intensity it was ridiculous. Miyuki stood next to Kakashi and just stared. Buildings crumbled under the impact of each strike one of the Sannin made. She began to worry about the building she was perched on. Maybe staying near this fight wasn't such a good idea.

Then the surprise of the century arrived in the form of an enormous fiery looking samurai warrior rising up out of the village. Orochimaru spun around as the warrior sliced into him with a sword. All the shinobi in the area froze and stared in numb shock. Orochimaru's wide eyes looked up into the warrior. They followed his gaze to see Itachi standing at its center. The rage that burned in Itachi's eyes couldn't be mistaken. With a shift, Orochimaru was drawn into a gourd at the warrior's hip. Nothing but silenced followed. The warrior faded away and Itachi landed gracefully on a roof. Holding out a hand he let a single scroll fall at Tsunade's feet. Without single word, Itachi vanished.

Finally, Miyuki was able to talk. "That felt very anticlimactic."

"I think any battle would when Itachi is involved," Kakashi commented as he pulled his headband back over his sharingan eye.

"I still want to search the village," Tsunade informed everyone. "Sasuke still has the curse mark and the information for it may still be here."

"Right."

"Be careful," Jiraiya warned. "Orochimaru likes to set up traps."

With that, the leaf and sand shinobi made their way to the now abandoned village. Tsunade stopped to pick up the scroll Itachi had dropped. With Jiraiya, Miyuki, and Kakashi there, the Hokage carefully unrolled it. She stared in shock.

"Just who's side is Itachi on," she grumbled, rolling the scroll back up. "This is the information on the curse mark. It's created using special enzymes in the body. This means, I should be able to get rid of it myself with a little research. We need to find something that mentions a man named Jugo. He's apparently the source of these enzymes."

Miyuki relayed the information through the radio to everyone else before saying to Tsunade, "Why would Itachi give this to us?"

"That I do not know. Something is amiss here and I would really like to know what it is."

"You better hurry back, Tsunade," Jiraiya told her after a moment of thought. "Itachi's motives aside, we know Danzo can't be trusted. The sooner you get back to clear Sasuke of his supposed crimes the better."

"Right." Tsunade sighed in annoyance. "No rest for the weary."

Jiraiya grinned and couldn't help but add, "Or the wicked in your case."

Tsunade glared at him. "You'd know all about being wicked."

"Of course." His grin turned smug and his eyes had a very male glint in them now. "I can show you if you want."

Tsunade shook her head at him. "Naruto's right you are a perv."

Jiraiya looked crestfallen for all of two seconds before shrugging. "Shall we go home, Tsunade? You have and Uchiha to protect and I have a jinchuriki to help learn to control his beast."

"I'm coming too," Miyuki and Kakashi said at the same time.

"I didn't expect anything else from the two of you." Gesturing for them to follow, Tsunade left Shikamaru in charge of the search through the village.

Konoha was in an uproar when they got there. Those not informed of the truth behind Sasuke's defection were understandably concerned about his arrival. Worse yet, Danzo was outside Sasuke's hospital room demanding to see the Uchiha. Gaara and Naruto stood in his way.

"This is no concern of yours, Kazekage," Danzo was saying as the four of them approached the room.

Gaara didn't bother answering. Instead, he directed his sand to block the door so that no one could get in without going through him first.

"You're not getting anywhere near Sasuke," Naruto shouted with clenched fists. His eyes were red again. "I know you were going to have him killed and I'll be damned if I let you do it while he's recovering"

Before Danzo could reply, Tsunade interrupted, "Lord Danzo, that is enough. You risk our relations with the sand by speaking that way to the Kazekage."

Danzo turned to face her. "He has no authority here."

"I do," she reminded him. "You are to leave Sasuke Uchiha alone. He is and has always been a loyal shinobi of the leaf. The defection was a ruse in order to get a spy close to Orochimaru." She chose not to mention that also gave Sasuke a chance to learn control over his curse mark and train with an excellent shinobi. "As we know Orochimaru had a spy within our village before, I didn't want to risk another and kept that fact to myself for Sasuke's safety."

Danzo's hand clenched on his staff. "And what if he turns on us now? He's been with Orochimaru for three years. It's naïve to think he would have conflicted loyalties now."

"No it's not." Naruto was vibrating with temper. "Sasuke would never betray the leaf."

Jiraiya moved around the group to place a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He whispered so only the boy could hear him, "Easy. Let Tsunade handle it. Trust me. Danzo hasn't got a chance."

"Lord Danzo, Sasuke has spent the last several months a prisoner in a cell. I sincerely doubt he has any loyalty to Orochimaru," Tsunade said reasonably, now standing toe to toe with Danzo. "Even if by some chance he did, Orochimaru is dead now. The Akatsuki killed him."

Left with no more arguments, Danzo spun around and stalked off. He would have to think carefully about how to handle the situation now. With Itachi still out there, it was a risk to do anything to Sasuke yet anyhow. At least if it could be tied to him.

Gaara called his sand back into the gourd. "I apologize for the trouble, but I didn't think he could be trusted going in there. Not after what Naruto told me he had planned."

"No need to apologize," Tsunade said with a wave of her hand. "I appreciate you protecting him. I assume Sakura is inside the room."

Naruto nodded, "With Gaara's girl, Reina."

Gaara shifted uncomfortably.

Miyuki gave the Kazekage an understanding look. Having one's feelings stated so openly was never easy for those who would rather keep their private lives private. She had no doubt Sasuke would be the same way when he was in a relationship.

They entered Sasuke's room. Sasuke stood braced for a fight. Sakura glared at him while Reina looked at them both with amusement.

The moment Sakura saw them all come in, she snapped out at Sasuke, "Now will you lay down? You are in no condition to fight anyway."

He looked at her, then allowed himself to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I see he's more mobile than he was," Miyuki commented with a smile as she walked over to ruffle his hair.

The moment she did that, Sasuke's body relaxed completely as he nodded at her. He'd only missed one thing more than that habitual gesture of Miyuki's that told him so much. His dark eyes moved to Sakura. Though it seems the thing he missed most was currently plotting his murder after making sure he fully recovered.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi asked him.

"Mostly tired."

"He's dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition," Sakura informed them, temper still sparking in her eyes. "Apparently, one of Orochimaru's methods for controlling him these last several months was to deny him enough food and water."

Naruto's blue eyes burned with rage. "If I get my hands on that snake…"

"No point entertaining that thought," Jiraiya informed them. "The Akatsuki dealt with Orochimaru."

"So he's dead?" Sakura demanded, fists clenched at her sides. At Tsunade's nod, she relaxed again. "Good riddance."

"You are hanging around the boys too much, Sakura," Miyuki told her with an amused smile. "You're turning bloodthirsty."

"I'm going to start dealing with the aftermath here," Tsunade said with as she turned to leave room. "It's time to let everyone know the truth about Sasuke's defection."

"I hope a lot of people apologize to Miyuki," Sakura muttered under her breath as her hands glowed green with medical chakra. Placing them on either side of his face, she continued to mend what she could.

"I don't really care if they do or not," Miyuki responded, though her eyes held a soft look in them. "Sasuke is back and safe. That's all that matters."

"What did Jiraiya mean when he said the Akatsuki dealt with Orochimaru?" Sasuke demanded, his dark eyes moving to Miyuki.

She explained the last minute actions of Itachi that led to the demise of Orochimaru, making sure to mention the scroll he deliberately brought to them. Personally, she was beginning to think that Itachi had also been there to save Sasuke. What she couldn't explain was why he would do that after all he'd done to his younger brother. Itachi was proving to be a bigger enigma with each interaction with him.

"I want to know what Itachi was thinking," Sasuke said, clenching fists in his lap. "I don't understand why he did what he did."

"It does seem as if he was trying to help you," Kakashi said thoughtfully as he crossed his arms and looked up. "Which given what he did to your clan does strike me as odd."

When no one was able to provide any good answers, Jiraiya took the moment to change the subject. "Naruto, we need to do something about the fox. It's getting dangerous for you and everyone around you."

Naruto nodded. "I noticed that. Every time I get even a little angry, I feel it start to take me over. I thought having toad sage abilities would be enough, but the fox gets in the way of being effective at it."

"Are you talking about the nine tailed fox?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto jerked with surprise then eyed Sasuke warily.

"Orochimaru told me," Sasuke explained, watching Naruto with unreadable dark eye. "The seal is weakening?"

Slowly, Naruto nodded.

"I can contain it," Sasuke pointed out, looking at Jiraiya. "That's an ability of the sharingan."

"That's true, but there may be times you won't be there. It's best if we slow the process down as much as possible," the sannin answered. "You and Yamato should remain as a last resort."

"I'll control it," Naruto said, almost quietly, his fists clenched at his sides. He didn't remember all of when he'd lost control, but he'd hurt someone he cared about at least once. That was enough. "I have to. No one needs to be afraid of me."

"I'm not," Sasuke said simply, making Naruto look at him with surprise. "You would never hurt us, Naruto. The fox I don't trust, but you I trust with my life. I knew you would come." He smirked. "Though, you were cutting it a bit close. Kakashi-sensei must be rubbing off on you."

Naruto's jaw dropped then he glared at Sasuke. "You should talk. This all started because you were late sending us a message. We could have found you months ago if you had told us where you were in one of the other letters or something. And why didn't you call for back up when it came time for you to leave?"

"At least I sent letters. You clearly forgot to even let everyone know you were even alive, Loser," Sasuke pointed out.

The argument went downhill from there as the two went back and forth again and again. Eventually they were reduced to name calling. Everyone in the room just kept looked back and forth between them until Sakura just started to laugh. Both boys stopped yelling at each other to look at her in confusion.

"I'm sorry," she managed. "It's just. I can't believe I missed the two of you fighting."

Naruto laced his fingers behind his head and grinned at her.

Sasuke just gave a small smile as he relaxed. He would never admit it out loud, but he'd missed it too. All of it. The smile faded. "The truth is, I did send a letter to let you know it was time to leave Orochimaru six months ago."

"We never got that," Sakura informed him with wide eyes. "If we had known we would have helped you."

"I'll admit. There was a moment I doubted you both but..." He instinctively reached for the kunai Sakura had given him only to remember Orochimaru took all his weapons and gear away. "I came to my senses quickly enough. After that, I came to the conclusion that it never reached you and decided I didn't have time to send another," Sasuke replied with a shrug. He met her eyes, feeling himself finally begin to settle. "Orochimaru caught me escaping, which is when he decided to lock me up and keep me too weak to do anything about it. I assumed that meant he'd been the one to intercept the message."

"Well, it all worked out in the end. Now that you two boys are done arguing," Jiraiya said with an indulgent smile. "Can we get back to controlling the fox."

"I would like to hear this as well," Gaara informed them, moving closer. "It may help me with the Shukaku."

"A good point." The Toad Sage shifted to include Gaara in the conversation. "Rumor has it that the jinchuriki of the Hidden Cloud Village can control his tailed beast. They are in possession of the eight-tails. Tsunade has been in contact with the Raikage hoping the cloud village would be willing to have their jinchuriki teach you how to control the nine tails. Since members of the Akatsuki recently tried and failed to capture the eight-tails, the Raikage agreed to allow it, if only to ensure the Akatsuki fail in their attempts to capture the remaining tailed beasts."

"I would hope he'd agree," Gaara replied, crossing his arms. "From what we've learned from Sasori, the Akatsuki's plan is a threat to us all."

"Exactly." Jiraiya placed hands on his hips. "So, a group of us will be going to an island where the jinchuriki known as Killer Bee managed to learn to harness the power of his tailed beast."

"I feel a bit nervous deliberately trying to use that monster's power after the number of times I have hurt someone," Naruto confessed with a rare serious expression.

"Are they monsters?" Reina asked them, making everyone turned to look at her. "I mean, they have a personality. Perhaps the way they are is because everyone treats them like a monster. Isn't that what happened to Gaara? He became what they made him? And is it only the nine tails? I mean, the Shukaku is the one tail but he has a name. Wouldn't that mean that they all do?"

The others in the room exchanged looks.

"Well, that is a thought," Jiraiya admitted. "One I hadn't considered."

"Me neither," Miyuki agreed, eyeing Naruto. "If that turns out to the be the case, maybe it is time you and the fox have a nice long chat."

Naruto and Gaara exchanged a hopeful look. This could change everything for both of them. It took a few weeks for the arrangements to be made, but finally they would be on their way to meet with the eight tail's jinchuriki. Tsunade made the decisions on who would be going to the island with Naruto and Gaara. The Kazekage made sure to send a message back to Suna, informing them of the recent developments. Within a few days, many gathered at the gate to wish the team heading to a place called Genbu well. The Raikage had sent some of his shinobi to guide those from Konoha and Suna to the island where they would be training.

From Konoha the team going would be Jiraiya, Yamato, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. Because Tsunade had worked hard to make sure Sai suffered no repercussions for his part in rescuing Sasuke, the fact that he had been the one to make it possible was kept hidden. As far as Danzo knew, Sai had merely reacted the only way he could when Konoha and Suna shinobi had shown up to rescue Sasuke. As a result, Sai was still a member of the foundation and answered to Danzo. With Sasuke back, Sai had returned to his previous duties. Something Naruto was nagging Tsunade to do something about. Sai didn't belong there as far as the knucklehead was concerned. Tsunade promised she was working on it. In the meantime, they would have to go without him.

From Suna, Gaara only brought his sibling and Reina. He'd left Baki in charge of the village in the meantime. The council hadn't exactly been thrilled but acknowledged that if Gaara could succeed in gaining control of the Shukaku it would be a great asset to the village.

Miyuki ruffled Sasuke's hair. "This was easier to do when you were shorter," she informed him with a grin. She held out the gear Shikamaru had found in the Sound Village. "I believe these are all yours. Be careful and take care of everyone."

He nodded taking his gear. Relief filled him when he saw the pink bandaged kunai among the normal ones. "I will."

"I'm still researching the curse mark," Tsunade promised him. "Hopefully by the time you get back, I'll have the knowledge I need to get rid of it and make life easier on you."

He nodded in acceptance, touching the black mark on his shoulder. The seal Kakashi had placed on it had broken during Orochimaru's training since he had to in order to maintain his cover. Hopefully, once it was gone and no longer hindering his abilities, he'd be able to face Itachi without a handicap.

"Sasuke," Miyuki said quietly gesturing for him to follow her off to the side while the others bid their farewells. Once they were mostly out of earshot, she informed him quietly, "While you're away, I want you to think about something."

Tilting his head, he waited for her to continue.

"There is one thing I do regret about killing Kenta." She held up a hand before he could speak. "Let me finish. I never lied. I don't regret killing him. What I regret is not getting answers first. At the time, that hadn't seemed as important but as the years passed I still can't shake the fact that I still don't know why. I don't know what made my uncle kill everyone in our family. With the recent commentary from Orochimaru, that lack of knowledge is coming back to haunt me. I can't say for certain the snake was wrong or right. He could have just been playing games, but I'll never know for sure."

"You want me to make sure I don't kill Itachi without those answers."

"Not necessarily." She shrugged. "If you can get them, I think you should. Those answers will bring you as much peace as justice will."

"I'll at least try to get those answers," he responded after thinking about all the questions he still had. She was right, the answers would help if he could get them. "But we both know there's no guarantee he'll give them to me."

"No, that's why I said try."

He nodded in agreement.

The two of them rejoined the group. With a final wave, the two teams left to help the two jinchuriki gain control of their tailed beasts.

Kakashi and Miyuki were among the last to leave the gates. As they walked down the street, he asked, "Has Sasuke spoken with Sakura yet?"

"Not that I know of but they may not need to." She reached up to run a hand over her braid. "Unlike me, he hasn't screwed up yet so no need to earn forgiveness. I know Sakura has told him how she felt. The gap of time between then and now may make things a bit awkward. One of them will need to say something at some point. But they hadn't had much time for that since Sasuke's been back. Not with him healing from his imprisonment and then this mission to prepare for."

"Hopefully they have time while they're away."

Miyuki nodded as she spotted Hinata. She apparently hadn't left with most of the others either. "Honestly, they are not who worries me most. Naruto's obliviousness does."

That startled a chuckle from Kakashi. "He has missed that one for years."

"Something to work on when they get back."

He nodded, taking her hand in his own. "In the meantime, the children are away."

Miyuki felt the blush and fought the urge to hide. When would this reaction stop? She wondered in annoyance. After three years, she thought she'd be used to this by now. Puffing her cheeks, she let the breath out in a whoosh. "Someday, I won't feel so flustered when you do things like that."

"I certainly hope that day is a long time in coming," Kakashi informed her without bothering hiding his amusement at her fidgeting and embarrassment. It may be mean of him, but sometimes he would tease her deliberately. It never failed to entertain him how easily she blushed with him. Especially since her expression was usually so neutral and calm. Being able to get an open reaction from her was a rare skill that only a select few had. Him and Sasuke were the only ones as far as he could tell.

She shot him a glare. "You are impossible."

"Yes," he agreed easily and without remorse.

Her lips twitched with a smile that betrayed her irritation. Giving up, she simply chuckled at him. "You're lucky I love you or I might have killed you long ago."

"I know." He squeezed her hand gently. "So, are we training or playing?"

"Both, train first." That damn blush was back, and her eyes looked away from him. But, she didn't pull her hand away. "Then play."


	14. Pain's Attack

**Ch. 14: Pain's Attack**

Nauro and Gaara panted for breath as they came out of the cave together. Naruto grinned widely as he saw his friends waiting for him. He and Fox may not have become friends just yet, but he at least made a step towards dealing with the beast's hatred for everything. Even better, the fox couldn't take control of his chakra anymore, so he could fight and protect while working on winning the fox over.

Gaara and Shukaku had come to a different sort of arrangement. The boy's willingness to talk with him convinced him to give the Kazekage a chance to prove not all humans saw him as a monster. Besides, the boy would need his help to protect that young medic that healed them both and told him he wasn't a monster. She even called him by name.

"I'm guessing by the grins that you both succeeded?" Sakura asked a little hopefully.

Naruto nodded as his grin widened. "Mostly. I still have some work to do with him, but the chakra at least won't take me over anymore."

Reina took Gaara's hand in her own, looking at him with silent question. He simply nodded. With a large smile, she threw her arms around him. Gaara felt the sand shift to keep him from falling over.

"The real test will be when you can use sage mode during a fight," Sasuke pointed out.

"I don't think I'll need to do that," Naruto answered after checking his reserves. "Thanks to this, I have so much chakra I'm not even sure what to do with it all. Sage mode will still give me a lot of advantages, so I'll still want to use it, but I think I won't need to rely on it for a fight." Naruto looked at Sasuke. "How about you? Learn to control the new sharingan yet?"

"We'll see."

All of them turned instantly to face the direction of Konoha. Something wasn't right. They could feel it in every nerve ending.

"I think it's time to go home," Sasuke stated. They all nodded in agreement.

* * *

Miyuki was enjoying lunch with Kakashi. Naruto and the others had been gone for just over two weeks and the village had a rare moment of quiet without the loud knucklehead around to make noise. The quiet was disrupted with an explosion that rocked the village. Miyuki jumped to her feet while creating an ice glaive. Kakashi raced for the door with Miyuki right behind him. Outside, the village was in chaos. Shinobi ran towards the sources of the attack while civilians ran from them. Kakashi frowned, taking in all he saw. They reached an area where fighting had already begun against someone with orange hair fought with what looked like enormous insect.

"Kakashi, his robes," Miyuki pointed out, shifting into a fighting stance.

"The Akatsuki." He reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her from going anywhere. "Wait a minute."

His eyes scanned the area. Based on the explosions he could make out two other areas of fighting. He spotted a member of the shield corps and hurried over for an update. They were told that only one intruder triggered the alarm and they didn't know how the others had gotten in without any warning. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Only one triggered the alarm. They had some way of transporting at least some of them inside without triggering the barrier seal. He was willing to bet that first one was the way. Either way the result was the same. They couldn't be certain how many of the enemy had managed to get inside.

"Kakashi, why aren't we joining the fight?" Miyuki asked him a bit impatiently. She'd followed him when he went to get the update and waited while he scanned around them, his single eye narrowed in thought. Her muscles itched to act as sitting still in these situations had never been her strong point. Still, she knew better than to ignore Kakashi's judgement.

"The three points of attack are obvious and we aren't sure of their numbers," he said, more to himself than her. His eye widened as he took off with Miyuki right behind him. "They're diversions. The three that are openly attacking are meant to distract us. If they're from the Akatsuki, they are here for one thing."

"Naruto."

"Right. But he isn't here and even if they know that, there's no way they know where to find him for certain." He pushed up his headband, exposing his sharingan eye. "There must be others who are searching for Naruto."

"Not when we don't even know where that island is," Miyuki agreed, connecting the dots herself. "That does pose a problem for both sides. Even if someone were to tell them that Naruto has gone to train on an island, no one in Konoha knows where that island is. Only the Hidden Cloud does."

"Yes. So this isn't a productive use of their time, which says they are getting impatient for some reason."

"Maybe because the goal is in sight at last? I mean, there are only three jinchuriki left and last anyone saw Gaara, he was here too."

Kakashi stopped to look at her. "That's it. It's not impatience. It's an opportunity. Two of the jinchuriki that they are missing are here. Or at least were."

"You know, this still doesn't answer my question. Why aren't we joining the fight?"

"We are. We are just going to fight one of the ones being more subtle."

"Ohhhh. You want to find the ones we are supposed to be distracted from."

Kakashi nodded. "They will be the ones the others will miss so the most threat."

He shifted direction and picked up speed.

Miyuki could only assume he saw something. She slowed, waiting to see what they would come upon so she wouldn't hinder Kakashi's abilities. With the Sharingan, he saw more than she did. Best not to get in the way until she had a clue herself. So he got there long before she did to save Iruka right before another orange haired attacker tried to kill him with a black rod of some sort. Miyuki didn't wait for anyone to figure out just what was going on. She brought her glaive down with enough force so crack the ground when it hit it. The enemy had dodged. She shifted and slammed the butt end of the staff behind her, forcing the strange man to back away from her. Kakashi created a mud wall to prevent the man from escaping once Iruka was safely away from the fight.

"Who are you?" Miyuki demanded, facing the enemy again, the blade end of her glaive pointed towards him once again. Several feet separated them.

"We are looking for Naruto Uzumaki," he told her instead of answering her question.

"I guess both of us get to keep guessing then," she replied mildly. "I don't get to know your name, and you don't get to find Naruto. A loss for us both I'm sure."

His eyes narrowed. "Miyuki Shimizu, the Ice Queen of the Leaf." Those strange eyes moved to Kakashi. "And Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja. An honor to meet you both."

"I'm sure you won't think so with my blade in your heart," she responded, charging at him again.

She saw Kakashi next to her with his chidori ready. The enemy's strange eyes met both of them for a briefest moment before they and everything around him was flung backwards. Miyuki lost a few seconds of memory. One moment, she'd been attacking, the next on the ground among rubble that hadn't been there before. Pushing herself to her feet, she assessed the damage. Just a few minor bruises and cuts. Nothing too serious. With that settled, she searched for Kakashi. He was also up, facing the enemy. She felt another push of his gravitational power. In seconds, she changed her ice glaive into a shield that she slammed down into the ground to keep it in place. Handles on the back allowed her to stay in place despite the force of his push. She saw something out of the corner of her eye and watched in horror as Kakashi flew past her. He smashed into rubble. The enemy followed this push by throwing one of his metal rods at Kakashi.

All Miyuki could see was the blood. Flashes of shadows fighting on a wall when she was four danced through her mind. Kakashi's eyes closed as his hands gripped the rod. His body went limp. The rage that always simmered inside Miyuki erupted. She changed the shield back into a glaive. Her steps didn't falter. Her muscles moved as fluid as water. Her glaive cut through the air. Even though the enemy dodged, the tip of her blade caught him, tearing through his cloak and catching his hip. A single drop of blood slipped down her blade. The rage in her said it wasn't nearly enough. Not giving him opportunity to hit again, she moved in for another hit.

He gave that same push of power he did earlier. She was flung backwards, but this time she managed to flip herself upright again and land on her feet. She slid several feet, using the glaive to slow herself. She lost her grip on the jutsu and the water splashed to the ground as her glaive melted. She felt each new bruise as she was pelted with rocks flying by her. She knew there would be cuts to add to the bruises as she did her best to shield her face.

Once things were done flying through the air, she took a step forward only to fall to her knee. Her ankle was damaged, probably when she landed in that last push. Damn it. She couldn't fight this way. Her eyes jerked forward to see her enemy facing her. His strange eyes felt like they could see everything in her. Recreating her ice glaive, Miyuki used it as support to stand back up. Using yet more ice, she supported her damaged ankle. Shifting her stance, she braced herself to fight again. She may not win, but she didn't care anymore.

"Still fighting then," the enemy commented as he watched her. "You are going to be a problem. It seems you will have to die here."

She let out a long, calming breath. Coming to terms with the rage inside, she forced herself to put it back in its box. Meeting his eyes, she said simply, "Maybe I will die here." And if Kakashi was dead, she just might hope for it. "I can accept that. But, until that happens, I will keep fighting."

"Then I will use you to teach this village about pain."

Miyuki thought about her clan and Kenta. Kakashi's cold expression when she returned after abandoning her squad on that fateful mission all those years ago. The graves she cleaned every year. The house she kept repaired even though she couldn't bear the thought of living there. The name of an innocent shinobi that died because she couldn't be bothered to ensure her squad's safety before getting her revenge. Finally, hands gripping a metal rod going limp. Her violet eyes never left those strange ones watching her.

"I already know about pain. I've lost everything more than once already. I was so deep in the dark there was no light for me anymore." Her hands gripped her weapon so hard her knuckles turned white. "There's nothing left for you to teach me about pain."

"If you knew true pain then you would agree with me."

"Maybe once I would have. However, I've learned my lesson since then." She managed a smile, even while her eyes burned with determination. "I have people I need to protect at any cost. I won't lose everything again. Not while I there's a breath in my body. The hate and rage don't rule me anymore. I won't let it."

"You did a moment ago."

She nodded. "I know. I slipped. It's something easier said than done. If hate and rage were so easy to shove aside, neither of us would be standing here right now. I would still be having lunch with Kakashi, marveling at the knowledge that he loves me despite my mistakes. You wouldn't be here chasing after Naruto and Gaara, who by the way know plenty of pain of their own."

"I see." He closed his eyes briefly, before meeting her again. "You won't be convinced. I'll just kill you now."

She was suddenly flying through the air towards him with no control of herself. She heard someone shout her name. It sounded like Kakashi and she wanted nothing more than to be able to turn to look for herself. Before she could be stabbed by the black rod the enemy made appear out of his sleeve, someone hit him from above, slamming down with enough force to send a dust cloud into the air. Miyuki hit the ground with a thud. Someone scooped her up and carried her away from the main fight. Relief flooded her when she saw it was Sasuke. Just behind them was Naruto with Kakashi.

"You made it."

Sasuke set her down gently. "Are you okay?"

"Injured ankle is the worst of it," she admitted, moving so that she could melt the ice she'd used to brace it.

His dark eyes took in her appearance for himself before he relaxed.

Her eyes moved to Kakashi. Naruto laid him down carefully. Her heart in her throat, she asked shakily, "Is he..."

Naruto's silence spoke volumes. His blue eyes burned with rage.

Miyuki felt all hope drain out of her. She didn't even have it in her to let the rage take over this time. Everything felt so numb. Her entire world focused on Kakashi's still body. The rage would come, she knew. Part of her wished it would come sooner rather than later. Falling to her knees, she brushed her hand over his cheek.

Sasuke looked away, unable to bear seeing Miyuki in so much pain that he could do nothing about. Turning his attention to Pain, he shoved his own grief aside. There would be time to mourn Kakashi-sensei later. After Pain was gone.

Naruto stepped up to stand next to Sasuke. Sakura had jumped clear of Pain's range after punching him from above. The diamond dot on her forehead providing proof of the results of her own training while they were away. They saw clones of Lady Katsuyu, the slug that served Lady Tsunade and Sakura, crawling over the battlefield. Four of the smaller clones headed towards them. Three crawled up to hide beneath Team 7's clothes and keep them appraised of the situation throughout the village. The other joined Miyuki, not bothering to speak. The Ice Queen was not listening anyway.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, keeping his eyes on their enemy. Like Sasuke, he focused on the task at hand. There would be time to help Miyuki later. "Jiraiya saw one of those orange haired guys and told us this is the leader of the Akatsuki. His name is Pain."

"I hope he found Lady Tsunade," Sakura said as she braced for more fighting.

"That's there problem now. We have our hands full," Sasuke answered. His anger didn't show in his voice, only in the red of his sharingan eyes.

"Then let's beat these two to a pulp and get Miyuki out of here," Naurto snapped out as he raced forward.

Team 7 faced off against their new enemy. The one Jiraiya called Pain. Katsuyu informed them of what was known about Pain so far. Jiraiya, having met each of the Pains before, began to put together a terrifying knowledge. The Pains were controlled by the rods in their bodies and the real one, as far as he could see wasn't present. Thanks to Katsuyu, the groups fighting were kept up to date on what each learned. Gaara, Reina, and his siblings faced off against two of the Pains. Jiraiya and Tsunade fought yet two more. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura struggled against another Pain.

Struggle was putting it mildly. They were barely leaving a mark even with the three of them working together. Naruto finally had a moment of luck when he was inches from being able to land a rasengan. Before it struck, another Pain jumped into the fight. Naruto's rasengan disappeared before he had a chance to even begin to figure out what was going on.

"He just absorbed my rasengan," he shouted in frustration.

"This is the one that absorbs ninjutsu," Lady Katsuyu informed them.

"Great. Just what we needed." Sasuke turned his focus on that one.

The two Pains faught in tandem, making them a deadly combination. With only a five second window between the gravitational Pain's jutsu use, the options for how to fight them were severely limited.

Naruto called on his sage mode. He'd made sure to gather the chakra on the ride here.

Inside his head, the fox watched as if bored. The boy had gained the help of both his parents to take control of his chakra. Still, he couldn't help but think of how Naruto had also promised to come for the hate inside the fox someday. "When I finished making sure others don't try to use you a weapon anymore that is," the boy had informed him with that grin. Getting cocky as was it was. Just because he conquered his own hatred at the Fall of Truth, Naruto thought he could take care of everyone else's hate too. It wasn't that simple. He'd realize that soon enough.

The fight began. Their best plan was to attempt distract one while fighting the other. With that in mind, Sasuke and Sakura, as the two close combat fighters, went after the Pain that absorbed ninjutsu.

Sakura and Sasuke tag teamed their Pain. Naruto hadn't been the only one training these last couple of weeks. Sasuke using his sharingan and taijutsu abilities kept attempting to make and opening for Sakura to land a good hit. She came close. He had a scratch on his cheek from barely dodging one of her blows. His shoulder bore a bruise where her fist had glanced off it. It was wearing him down but not enough. Damn it. Couldn't they catch a break? The curse mark on his shoulder began to burn with each use of his chakra. The mark began to spread slowly. He grabbed his shoulder. Damn it. Of all times for that thing to start acting up. It always left him paralyzed as he adjusted to it.

Naruto had his hands full with the gravitational Pain. The bastard was quick and efficient. And that small window between jutsu was too small. No matter what he did or how fast he did it, it never seemed to be enough. He saw sand rise up out of the village to his left. Gaara was fighting with his team from Suna. Based on the explosions from somewhere in front of them, Tsunade was at work with Jiraiya next to her. He couldn't just give up and let them down. He had to beat this guy and go help. He had to help everyone.

Sakura clenched a fist as let gravity bring her down on her enemy. Her fist only hit dirt. Their enemy was quick. She started to let her feet touch ground. She never got the chance. The enemy grabbed her wrist and came at her. In midair, she couldn't dodge. Shifting her weight, she threw a punch at him. Throwing her as hard as he could to prevent her from landing that strike, she hit a wall with enough force to go through it. But, not before landing that punch. Her strike sent him flying through a wall of his own.

All Sasuke saw was Sakura hit the wall. "Sakura!"

Hearing Sasuke's panicked shout, Naruto glanced over in concern. That moment of distraction was all the gravitational Pain needed. Using metal rods, he pinned Naruto's hands to the ground. Naruto cried out in agony when the rod went through his palms.

"And now you lose," Pain informed him coldly.


	15. Pain

**Ch. 15: Pain**

Sasuke dug through the rubble frantically. Sakura was under there somewhere. Where was she, damn it. He refused to believe the worst. Not when he hadn't used the words she deserved to hear. He hadn't told her the most important thing yet. Until he did, she couldn't die. His mangekyo sharingan was active as if that would do him any good at this point. He should have used it sooner damn it. But it still exhausted him to use it too much and he hadn't wanted to over do it. Not with the curse mark threatening his every move. But if he had then maybe Sakura wouldn't be buried under rubble right now.

Miyuki couldn't even get her rage to burn over her pain. Her world had been stripped from her for a third time. She wanted that fire to get her moving but couldn't think beyond the fact that Kakashi was gone. Once again she'd failed to protect those she loved. First her clan, then Sasuke when Orochimaru came after him, and now Kakashi.

Pain looked towards the sounds of Sasuke throwing rubble around with sympathy. He turned his gaze to where Miyuki held Kakashi. "Losing a loved one is the worst kind of pain in this world."

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted. "You have no right. Sasuke and Miyuki already suffered enough, now you take more from them and have the nerve to rub salt in it like you understand? I will kill you for this."

"I do understand. I also know pain." Pain turned his strange eyes on Naruto. "That is what created me in the first place."

As Pain explained the facts about the Land of Rain and how it suffered as a battle ground for the larger nations it bordered, Naruto felt his resolve begin to crumble. Pain was right. Such actions only spawned more hate. It would just lead to more like Pain. More like himself. More like Sasuke. Even Miyuki and Kakashi were on that list. When did it end? How did it end?

"So tell me, you want to end the hatred. That is what you said. What is your answer? Did you find what Jiraiya-sensei has still failed to find? Is his trust in you valid?" Pain mocked.

Still, Naruto couldn't meet his eyes. "I don't know."

"Then you should submit to my answer. Be relieved. This means your pain will soon end. You will no longer be a monster."

"Shut up." Naruto's blue eyes still held strength. "What makes you think being a jinchuriki makes me a monster? The fox isn't just some beast. Don't try to use that as an excuse."

"Then don't be relieved if that is what you wish. Either way, my answer is still the only one anyone has for ending this cycle of war." Pain held a hand over Naruto. "It is time to go."

Before Pain could leave with Naruto, someone jumped into the fray. Hinata forced Pain away from the jinchuriki. Her pale eyes hard and determined. "Stay away from him." She took a fighting stance. "I won't let you hurt him anymore."

"Hinata, no," Naruto shouted. He wouldn't be able to stand it if she ended up like Kakashi or Sakura. "You can't fight him."

"I have to." She snapped back. The meek girl who hid at the sight of him was no where to be seen. In her place was a shinobi who would do whatever she must to defend those she loved. "I can't just stand there and do nothing while he takes you away to die."

"Hinata," Naruto wasn't sure what to say. "Why? Look, don't worry about me. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"Unfortunately, you've asked for the one thing I can't give you, Naruto. I can't help but worry." Hinata's expression softened. "You probably don't remember, but you saved me once. Before we were even in the academy. Ever since I've watched you. You make me want to be better. It was because of you that I was able to stand against Neji and walk with pride again." She took a fighting stance. "So this time, I'll protect you. As long as I can do that, I don't care if I die here."

With her byakugan active, Hinata waited for only a moment before striking. She wasn't as dumb as the others thought. Her attack wasn't for Pain. Instead, she struck the rod imprisoning Naruto's hands, knocking it free. Naruto was able to move them again. Pain used the almighty push to knock her back. She pushed to her feet to fight again.

Inside Naruto, only the fox knew the turmoil rolling through his jinchuriki. He also knew what Naruto didn't. Hinata had seen Naruto long before anyone else ever had, even Iruka. The fox lifted his head. "I'll come after all that hate inside you someday, Fox." Naruto's words on the way here rang through him. Then what he'd said to Pain just moments ago. "I know the fox isn't just some beast."

Shifting, he sat up and spoke to Naruto, "My name is Kurama."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"If you like, I will share all of my power with you." Kurama held a fist through his bars.

"Why?"

"Don't get sentimental. It's enough that I am willing now, isn't it?"

In his mind, Naruto walked up to the cage and bumped his fist to Kurama's. With a grin, he opened the seal. "Please. Just help me save them."

Kurama filled Naruto with his power. Chakra that danced like flames covered the Jinchuriki's body and black marking appeared on his body and clothes. Using his hands and the tailed beast cloak, Naruto pulled the rest of the rods out. Shoving to his feet, he charged at Pain before he could get to Hinata.

"Don't you dare touch her," he shouted as his fist connected to Pain's face.

Hinata let go of the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Good. He was back. Turning, she ran over to the still searching Sasuke. "I'll look for her, Sasuke. My byakugan is better for this anyway. You go help Naruto."

Sasuke looked at her then the rubble then Naruto. Finally he forced himself to trust her and nodded. "I'll count on you then."

Pain was pulling out all the power he had now. Sasuke tamed the rage inside as he jumped into the fight with Naruto. Don't let it swallow you, he reminded himself. Use it. Don't be controlled by it. He wasn't sure how, but he found himself able to use a power he hadn't been able to before. A bluish flame like skeleton formed around him as he hurried towards Naruto and Pain. With each step, it became a more solid form. When he finally reached the battle and struck, it was with a fully formed Susanoo fist. Sasuke felt a moment of pride at finally being able to complete his Susanoo. Pain gave an enormous push that nearly knocked Naruto down as the giant chakra warrior stumbled under the force of Pain's almighty push. Sasuke braced himself, bringing up his susanoo's hands to shield Naruto.

Kurama informed Naruto that they didn't have much time because it was their first time working together. Their chakra's weren't quite aligned properly yet. Naruto relayed this to Sasuke.

"Then we better make this next attack count," Sasuke replied, drawing back his susanoo's arrow. "I don't think I can hold this up long either. But we have this window. That last push was bigger so he has to wait longer."

"Then let's get him."

Naruto leapt into the air as high as he could. He formed a rasenshuriken as large as he could. Sasuke let loose a black flame arrow. Naruto threw the rasenshuriken to meet up with Sasuke's arrow. Pain tried to dodge, but sand wrapped around his legs and held him in place just long enough. The attack connected. Both Naruto and Sasuke began to fall through the air. Clouds of sand came up and caught them both. Gently, Gaara lowered them to the ground.

The moment he was able, Naruto walked over to the now fallen Pain. He slowly pulled each and every rod out. With the last one, he stabbed himself and tracked the chakra back to the source. He looked over at Sasuke. The Uchiha was back at the building where Hinata had just pulled out Sakura. From here, Naruto couldn't' tell if she was unconscious or worse. He wasn't sure he was ready for the answer just yet. By the way Sasuke hesitated, neither was he.

Sasuke knelt next to Sakura, shaking fingers going for her pulse.

Naruto looked away quickly. It didn't help. The silence behind him spoke volumes. He took in a deep breath and let it out. That didn't help either. Rage still consumed his mind. He had to get it handled and quickly. There wasn't much time. He saw Miyuki still kneeling next to Kakashi. Tears on her face as she cried silently. Naruto pulled his eyes away and found himself looking at Gaara.

"What next?" Gaara asked as he approached them. "All but the final Pain has been defeated."

"I go see the last one," Naruto answered, looking in the direction of the final Pain. His resolve solidified. He would make sure to save everyone, including Pain. Fists clenched, he forced the anger that burned in him at all the devastation Pain had caused aside. There was no place for it in this particular battle now. "Do me a favor and keep an eye on Sasuke and Miyuki. Don't let them do something stupid while I'm gone."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Won't you need back up?"

Hinata shook her head in denial. "No. You can't go alone. Not after a fight like that."

"I can do this one without anyone. I think I have some idea of what to say now." He gave Hinata one of his goofy grins. "I'll replenish my sage chakra on the way there. When I get back, you and me need to have to talk."

Hinata's eyes widened but she nodded. "Just make sure you come back."

Naruto looked at Gaara to see if the Kazekage would argue further.

Gaara hesitated before agreeing to let Naruto go alone. He walked over to Sasuke. No words were said. He simply stood silent guard over the mourning Uchiha as Naruto hurried off to confront the final Pain.

* * *

In the distance, red sharingan eyes closed in silent prayer for his brother's pain. He'd been too late to prevent it. Clenching his fist, he swore to himself he wouldn't let anyone hurt Sasuke again. It was time to deal with the biggest threat before it could finish it's plans. Turning, he hurried away to meet back up with Kisame.

* * *

Katsuyu kept them all updated on Naruto's progress with the final Pain. Even with that, they still stared in amazement as green lights began to shoot through the sky. One hit Sakura. Sasuke jerked, his eyes going red in silent threat. Then her eyes opened, meeting his surprised red ones.

"I thought…" She pushed herself up, examining her body. "What happened?"

Miyuki had looked over at Sakura when the green ball of chakra hit her. Despite her relief that Sakura was okay, she couldn't bring herself to smile or feel joy. Her hands on Kakashi gripped his vest tightly. She nearly jumped out of her skin when someone covered her hands with their own. Turning, she saw Kakashi was looking at her with concern.

"Stop crying," he ordered her hoarsely.

She couldn't obey that order as much as she wanted too. Instead, tears fell more freely as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank goodness. I thought I'd lost you for good."

He wrapped an arm around her. "So did I. So how come I am alive?"

"It was Naruto?" Lady Katsuyu told them. She explained as best she could what had transpired between Naruto and Pain, who's real name was Nagato. How Nagato decided to trust in Naruto after all, just as Jiraiya did even now. When Kakashi said he would go help Naruto back to the village, Katsuyu told them that Jiraiya and Tsunade were already on their way to assist the jinchuriki.

Sakura looked at Sasuke again. Gently, she brushed fingers over his tear streaked face. "Sasuke?"

"I thought I lost you." He didn't bother stopping the new tears that came. "I never got to tell you that I love you."

Her green eyes went wide then softened. "You don't have to say it, Sasuke. I know."

He pulled her into a tight hug. She held him, letting him take comfort in the fact that she was alive and well. He was making a note that he would owe Naruto for life. Not that he didn't already.

Miyuki let out a relieved breath. She didn't think Sasuke would have ever recovered from losing Sakura. As it was the medic would be dealing with his nightmares of those moments he had lost her. Miyuki gave Kakashi a narrow eyes glare. Sasuke wouldn't be the only one having nightmares either. Kakashi smiled at her reassuringly and touched her face. Sighing, she pushed to her feet. Kakashi did the same.

"As sweet as all this is," Miyuki began with an apologetic smile for Sasuke and Sakura, "we should go make sure Naruto is okay."

Sasuke stood, helping Sakura to her feet. Once she was standing, he kept her hand in his. They joined the entire village in greeting their knucklehead back. Sasuke and Sakura found themselves being pushed over to join him as they were all three hailed as heroes. Tsunade leaned on Jiraiya relieved the fight was finally over. She'd expended a lot of medical chakra today and she was wore out.

"No one from the foundation is here," Jiraiya pointed out to her, slipping an arm around her shoulders to help hold her up. She'd done so much healing today.

"No. They aren't," she agreed. Neither of them said anything more about it for the time being. There would be enough time to deal with it. This was a time for celebration. They had survived and won. Not only won but lost no one in the winning thanks to Naruto. "But that was the head of the Akatsuki. Let's enjoy the moment while it lasts. Tomorrow is soon enough to jump into the fray again."

Jiraiya nodded in agreement as he gave his student a proud smile. "They've all come so far."

She nodded. "I wonder what the Itachi and Kisame will do now. They and Konan are the last of the Akatsuki. Sasori has returned to Suna. Deidara died at Kakashi's hands during the attempt to kidnap Gaara. Hidan and Kakuzu were killed by Killer B in an attempt to take the eight tails from him."

"What happened to waiting until tomorrow to jump into the fray again?"

"It's just that, Itachi is still out there and I have questions."

"Those things Orochimaru said."

She nodded, eyes on Sasuke.

"We'll figure it out," Jiraiya assured her. "Tomorrow."

Sighing, Tsunade let it go. "Yes. Tomorrow."


	16. The Aftermath

**Ch. 16: Aftermath**

Danzo cursed his luck. The village was mildly damaged but everything had turned out well. Too well. Tsunade still had a firm hand on the village and its leadership. That needed to change or that weak leadership would cost them everything. She'd taken huge risks just letting Naruto fight Pain at all. Not to mention that secret mission she'd given Sasuke. He sneered. He'd never trust an Uchiha. Never. The fact that Tsunade did spoke volumes about her weak leadership. He reached up to touch his covered eye. Soon he'd have the last of the Uchiha dealt with. And given her hindrance to his plans, he should deal with the last of the Shimizu while he was at it.

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Naruto let out a frustrated growl. For the last week, he'd been busy with helping the village recover. He'd also used that time to think long and hard about his feelings. All of them. He wanted to have answers before talking with Hinata. He finally found some time for himself and made his way to the training grounds to work himself into a sweat. Maybe then he'd be able to clear his head and figure out how exactly he felt. Ever since she defended him, his feelings for Hinata had been a confused mess.

"Are you okay, Naruto?"

He looked behind him to see Miyuki behind him.

"You're training like you're battling a demon of some sort," she informed him with concern in her violet eyes.

"Just trying to clear my head." He wiped the sweat from his brow and sat on the ground. It was rare to see her away from Kakashi since Pain's attack. Not that Naruto blamed her considering that if Nagato hadn't brought them all back...He shuddered. He really didn't want to think about the alternative. Instead, he'd stick to just being grateful the worst didn't happen. Kakashi, Sakura, and everyone else were alive and well. That was what mattered.

Considering Miyuki, he wondered if she could help with his current emotional turmoil. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She walked over and offered him a water bottle as she sat across from him.

Taking it gratefully, he took a long swallow before speaking again. "How did you know you loved Kakashi-sensei?"

She gave him a knowing smile as she rested her elbows on her crossed legs. "I didn't at first. Back when we were in the anbu, I spent a lot of time trying to avoid feeling that for anyone. The key difference between Sasuke and you when it comes to expressing yourself. You never had it to lose before. Sasuke did. The same is true for me. I lost my entire clan and like Sasuke didn't want to feel loss like that again. Logic said the best way to do that was to have nothing to lose."

"That doesn't sound like it worked out."

She chuckled ruefully. "It didn't. I failed. It wasn't until I screwed things up so badly that I was certain I was unforgivable that I realized I loved him." Miyuki looked down thoughtfully. "Really, what I felt then pales in comparison to what I feel now, truth be told."

"Why do you say that?" Naruto leaned forward, trying to find the piece he was missing to figure himself out in her words.

Miyuki reached up to play with her braid. "Well, back then, I put him second. True he was second which isn't terrible, but love means putting them first. My hate came first. I couldn't do anything about it then. Maybe if he had more time before I found Kenta, things would have been different. Kakashi had only told me he was developing feelings for me days before that mission that changed everything between us." Regret showed in the slight frown on her expression and the long sigh that escaped her. "In short, then I was falling, not actually in love. These days, it's the real deal."

"But how can you tell?"

"Well, what would you give to keep that person happy, Naruto?"

"Everything."

"Even your own happiness?"

He froze. "What?"

"Back before Kakashi forgave me, I came to terms with the fact that what I felt for him would never be shared. I would be alone in those feelings. Even though it hurt. Even though it killed me inside. I stayed away from him, because that's what he wanted. He was happier if I stayed away." She tilted her head as she met his eyes. "Would you do that for her? Would you suffer the agony of staying away if that meant her happiness? Could you watch her be with someone else if that's what it took for her to smile, even though you would die inside?"

Naruto opened his mouth then shut it.

Miyuki's smile turned to a grin. "Are you willing to face Hinata's father?"

He winced. That would not be pleasant, he was sure. "That I would do. The rest…" He thought of Hinata's shy smile. The idea of her giving that to someone else made him clench his fists. But the idea of doing to something to take that smile away was even worse. "Yes. I would do whatever it took to keep her happy. Even if that happiness was someone or somewhere else."

"There you go," she said as she gestured handing him the answer with one hand.

Grinning, he leapt to his feet. "I need to go talk to her."

Miyuki smiled at she watched him run off. Finally, he'd figured it out. Standing, she decided she'd go find Kakashi instead of train. The talk with Naruto had her feeling sentimental. That and she hadn't seen him for a whole hour now. Memories of his blood and cold unmoving body filled her mind without Naruto's boisterous personality to distract her. Anxiously, she hurried away to reassure herself Kakashi was still okay.

Naruto tried to hurry, but he kept getting interrupted. Every few feet someone had something to say to him. It was taking all day just to get through the village to the Hyuga compound. He never thought he'd miss the days when no one talked to him unless he was in trouble. Letting out a growl, he said, "I swear the next person to talk to me is going to get it."

"That's not very nice."

He spun around with a retort ready when he saw it was Sakura and Sasuke. He allowed himself a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry."

Sasuke hadn't let Sakura out of his sight since Pain's assault nearly a week ago. Repairs on the village were still under way as there had been heavy damages. Gaara and his team returned to Suna yesterday, wishing they could help finish rebuilding. But, the Kazekage had already been away too long. Tsunade and Jiraiya were held up in the hokage's office a lot with reports. Well, Jiraiya was studying reports. Tsunade was preparing to remove the curse mark from Sasuke. She would be ready by tomorrow. In the meantime, Sasuke stuck to Sakura like glue. Naruto suspected his friend was having nightmares about Sakura's death. He wasn't too worried. Sakura could handle the Uchiha. With time, Sasuke would begin to relax again. As a side benefit of her death and revival, Sasuke had finally spoken out loud what almost everyone had already known. The relationship between the two was now solidified rather than halted in the limbo of uncertainty. This being Sasuke, they were as obvious about their relationship as Miyuki and Kakashi were, which was to say not at all.

"Why are you threatening everyone?" Sakura asked him, tilting her head slightly.

"Because he is trying to talk with Hinata and everyone keeps trying to talk to him," Sasuke supplied drily.

Naruto didn't know why he was surprised Sasuke knew what was going on. No one knew him better than Sasuke after all.

Sakura's eyes went wide then she gave him a knowing smile. Reaching out, she grabbed Naruto's shoulders. Turning him towards the Hyuga compound, she shoved him. "Then get moving, Naruto. It's rude to keep a girl waiting after all."

Grinning at her, he ran with a wave. He ran as fast as he could, which given his recent power boosts was pretty fast these days. Before he knew it, he was pounding on the door for the Hyuga. Lucky for him, Hinata answered the door and not her father. Though he felt the ominous aura of Hiashi Hyuga just inside. Though everything faded quickly from Naruto's awareness except Hinata within seconds of seeing her shy smile. A blush dusted over her cheeks as she greeted him quietly. It was hard to believe she'd faced down Pain just a week ago.

"Hey, Hinata," he returned her greeting with one of his big grins, though his eyes stayed on her. "I need to talk to you if you have time."

Nodding, Hinata stepped out and followed him as he led the way. Naruto knew he had to find someplace quiet. His new found popularity would cause problems otherwise. He found an area on the edge of the village that he knew was perfect. "This is it," he told her with a small smile, his eyes lost in memory. "This is the spot where you started to see me."

Hinata's eyes went wide. "You remember?"

"Not at first. But when you mentioned it, Kurama supplied the memory for me." Naruto turned to face her. His smile turned into one of his full grins. "He's got a better memory than I do. I'm glad he is on my side now because he helps with that sort of thing."

She reached up to twirl a bit of her hair around her fingers. Nerves danced over her. Just where was Naruto going with all of this exactly?

"Anyway, this means you saw me first," he continued with a soft smile. "Long before even Iruka-sensei."

Naruto's blue eyes were soft when she met them and she found herself unable to look away. Her breath caught in her throat as her heart couldn't decide if it was skipping beats or going to beat too fast.

"I was so busy competing with Sasuke that I missed it. That you were always watching me." He reached up and gently took her face in his hands. His calloused thumbs rubbed her very red cheeks. "All this time, Hinata. I never believed anyone could care about me the way you do. But, if you're willing, I'd like you to show me." His grin widened. "Though, you might have to be very patient with me. I can be very dumb sometimes and dense."

"Naruto, what are you saying?"

He hesitated. Unsure of how to phrase what was going on in his head and heart. Really, there was only one way to say it. "Hinata, I love you."

She felt her tears form and tried to stop them. Naruto looked like he was about to have a panic attack after seeing those tears. Unable to stop herself from crying, she did the only thing she could. Hinata threw her arms around him while whispering, "I love you, Naruto."

Caught off balance, he stumbled backwards under her weight and hit the ground on his ass. Despite that, he was grinning and had his arms around her. With Hinata's face buried in his chest, he allowed his smile to fade. His best friends were safe and happy. His senseis were all well and happy. The village had come to accept him at last. Things seemed to be going right for the first time in his life. He couldn't help but wonder when the other shoe would drop.


	17. Truths

**Ch. 17: Truths  
**

The next day, Naruto and Sakura waited outside a hospital room. Both fidgeted and paced restlessly every now and then. Quick glances at the clock only told them they were being impatient. Miyuki sat in a chair, her anxiety only given away by the restless tapping of her fingers against her thigh. Kakashi eventually just took her hand to hold in his own. She gave it a squeeze as she stared at the door as if she'd develop x-ray vision at any moment. On the other side, Tsunade performed a medical ninjutsu that would hopefully rid Sasuke of the curse mark. The procedure was risky as it would affect his entire body. The research they'd uncovered in the Hidden Sound Village had given Tsunade the information she needed. She just wasn't sure if his body could handle the removal of the enzymes Orochimaru had used to create the mark in the first place. Their injection had nearly killed him and now his body was used to them. Having them pulled out may be just as hazardous after all these years with them.

Only an hour passed before the door opened and Shizune came out. Looking at the four worried expressions looking at her, she smiled. "He's going to be okay. Lady Tsunade says he'll be a little weakened for a bit while his body adjusts, but then he'll be fine."

They let out a collective breath of relief.

"When can I see him?" Sakura asked. The only reason she hadn't been in the room is Tsunade wouldn't let her. The Hokage had stated bluntly that because Sakura cared too much about Sasuke her focus wouldn't be what it needed to be.

"As long as you let him sleep, you can go in now," Tsunade spoke from the doorway. She leaned heavily on it. The procedure had clearly taken a lot out of her. They didn't know where he came from, but Jiraiya was there, helping hold Tsunade up as he guided her down the hall to get rest.

Sakura hurried inside the room. Sasuke lay on the bed sleeping. She wanted to touch him and reassure herself he was okay but didn't want to risk waking him. Instead, she sat in the chair next to his bed to wait for him to wake up.

The others checked on him themselves then left Sakura alone with him, knowing she wouldn't budge until he opened his eyes. Hours of waiting later, Sakura's stomach reminded her that she still had to eat. Hating that she had to leave him, Sakura stood and gently kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back."

With that promise, she hurried away to get food and be back as quickly as she was able. She made it to the stairwell before realizing her wallet wasn't in her pocket. Maybe it fell out in the room. Turning, she ran back to the room. When she stepped into the doorway, the sight that greeted her made her blood run cold. Lord Danzo stood over Sasuke holding a kunai. Sakura moved before she had time to thing about what she was doing. Her fist struck Danzo with enough force to make him break through the hospital wall and going outside. Standing in the hole she created, she clenched her now bleeding knuckles. And this was why she wore gloves when she did that, she reminded herself.

"Don't lay a hand on Sasuke," she ordered in a deadly calm voice. Emerald eyes burned with anger.

It was the explosion that got the attention of everyone else. Someone going through a wall was a bit obvious after all. Miyuki, Kakashi, and Naruto raced back to the hospital. Once they arrived, Miyuki stared wide eyed as the hole in the wall and the murderous look in Sakura's eyes. The medic was not feeling her usual kind self at the moment apparently. Miyuki looked over at Danzo as he stood and dusted himself off.

"That was uncalled for," he commented almost peacefully. "I was merely checking how things went."

"With a kunai in your hand?" Sakura shouted, her temper rearing it's head. Somethings never changed and her temperament was one of them.

"Lord Danzo, what is going on here?" Miyuki demanded with fists on her hips. She fully believed he'd be willing to kill Sasuke. Not only did he send Sai to do just that originally, but he had once sent someone to kill Kakashi. Danzo was ruthless and didn't care if it was ally or foe. He would destroy anyone that got between him and what he wanted.

"She simply misunderstood my intentions," Danzo answered, his attention moving to Miyuki.

"Somehow, I doubt that," Miyuki responded coldly.

"Believe what you want," Danzo answered as he walked by them.

Miyuki glowered after him in a rare show of open emotion.

"Careful, Miyuki," Kakashi warned her with an indulgent smile. "Your mask is slipping."

She sighed, blowing her bangs off her forehead. "I really don't like him."

After that each member of the team took turns watching over Sasuke until he woke up the next day. For the first time in his memory, he woke after serious injury or surgery to see emerald eyes watching him and there weren't any tears. It registered to him just how often he made her cry before. It warmed him to see her smile instead this time.

"You're awake," she cheered, gently brushing fingers through his hair.

"How long have I been out?"

"Just over a day," she answered. Hesitating a moment, she added, "We've all been taking turns keeping watch over you. I think Lord Danzo tried to kill you while you were unconscious."

He frowned. "Why?"

"We don't know." Worry clouded her expression, robbing him of the smile he'd enjoyed just moments before.

Sasuke pushed himself up. Surprisingly, he felt fine. He'd expected to feel weaker for a while after the curse mark's removal. Reaching up, he cupped her head to pull her in for a kiss. Sakura melted into him as she always did, and he thanked whatever gods existed that he hadn't messed this up. Even if Itachi lived a full life, Sasuke couldn't care less at this moment. Just so long as she was by his side anything was fine by him. When he pulled away, she blinked at him with pink dusting her cheeks. He allowed his mask to slip and smiled softly at her.

"Whatever he's planning, we'll deal with it together. So don't let it stress you out."

"But, Sasuke, if I hadn't forgotten something and come back to the room he would have…" She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"But it didn't happen and it's too late to stress that now." He hugged her close and whispered in her ear. "If you like, I can kill him then he won't make you frown so much anymore."

That surprised a chuckle out of her. "That wouldn't work because then the village would brand you a traitor." She pulled away to smile at him. "But I get the point."

Satisfied she wasn't stressed anymore, Sasuke released her.

"We should let the others know you're awake." Sakura took his hand in her own. "Can you walk?"

He nodded and pushed to his feet. Letting her tug him along, he followed her to find their friends. They were greeted exuberantly by Naruto. Hinata was giving the blond an amused smile. Miyuki reached up and ruffled his hair. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. For the first time in years, Sasuke felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The mark was gone and no longer had the power to control his life. He was free of the final chain Orochimaru had placed on him.

"How do you feel?" Naruto asked. "Granny Tsunade said you might feel off after the mark was removed because it had a physical effect on you."

"Surprisingly, I feel fine." Sasuke looked at his hands and activated his sharingan. "I thought that it would take time to adjust too but it's like instead it's only made me stronger to have it removed. As if all that power has been lying dormant all this time because of that mark."

"That might be true," Kakashi commented, crossing his arms and looking thoughtful. "It wouldn't make much sense for Orochimaru to let you access all your strength. You might beat him then. This way, he could control how much of it you could use at a time."

Nodding, Sasuke's eyes returned to their normal onyx. Deciding it would be a good idea to know his new limits, he asked if they could go train.

"You just woke up," Sakura objected in exasperation.

"Honestly, I feel fine. I promise if I start to feel otherwise, I'll take a break."

Sighing, she nodded. "Fine, but you better keep that promise or I will hurt you."

They set off for the training ground. Sasuke worked up a good sweat sparing with Naruto and quickly learned that he was indeed stronger than before. And the mangekyo sharingan wasn't as much of a drain on him as it once was. He grinned. To think Orochimaru lied to him about being stronger with the curse mark. What a surprise, he thought sarcastically.

The training came to an abrupt halt when Sai stumbled out of the trees. "There's trouble."

Naruto ran to his side to catch him before he hit the ground. "Sai!"

Sakura knelt next to them and began healing him immediately.

Slowly, he returned to consciousness.

"What happened?" Sasuke demanded. He didn't know Sai well, but Naruto had told him that Sai had been instrumental in saving him from the sound village. That was enough for him.

"We were attacked by Itachi and Kisame. They took Lord Danzo."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Sakura lifted him. "I'll take him to the hospital so they can finish his treatment and meet you at the Hokage's office."

The others nodded and hurried off. They updated Tsunade who sent Anbu shinobi to check on the Foundation. Sakura had joined them by the time the Anbu returned with their report. The foundation was in chaos. Several shinobi had been severely injured, though amazingly none had been killed. Lord Danzo had been nowhere to be found.

"I hate to ask your team to do this Kakashi, but do you mind going to look for Danzo?" Tsunade asked him. "You are one of the best at tracking others thanks to your hounds."

Kakashi nodded. "My opinion of Danzo doesn't effect my ability to do my job. We'll find him."

Team Kakashi headed to The Foundation headquarters. Kakashi summoned his hounds and sent them on the hunt for Danzo. While they waited, the five of them examined their surroundings. Rubble covered the ground and walls were broken and bridges collapsed. Blood stained several areas where the injured had been before being relocated to the hospital. Miyuki frowned as she walked up a wall to examine a hole in it.

"I wonder what Itachi is thinking?" Sakura wondered out loud as she looked at the chaos he'd left in his wake.

"I haven't known that since the day he slaughtered our clan," Sasuke answered tersely. His entire body was tight with restlessness energy. Itachi had been here. He'd been right under his nose.

"Are you up for this, Sasuke?" Naruto asked him with only a hint of his concern in his tone.

Sasuke started to answer with an of course he was, before biting back the words. Taking an honest assessment of himself, he nodded. "Especially with the rest of you here to help."

Pakkun returned. "We found the trail."

They headed out with Pakkun in the lead. Once they were closer, they made sure to approach carefully and quietly. They still had no idea what they were walking into so caution was definitely advised. Finally, Itachi and Danzo came into view. Based on the scorch marks on the ground, Danzo was putting up a fight, though now the two merely stood across from each other. They could just make out the conversation now and Itachi's words made them all freeze in shock.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out you tried to have Sasuke killed?" Itachi's cold tone spoke volumes about his thoughts on that matter.

"The Uchiha are a threat and always have been," Danzo stated with a shrug.

Itachi's red eyes narrowed as he held his hands up, ready to cast a jutsu. "You are not leaving here alive, Lord Danzo. It is long past time I make sure you are not a threat to my brother anymore."

"And it is long past time I got you out of the way." Danzo crouched, ready for a fight. "Though, honestly the biggest thorn hasn't even been you."

"Miyuki Shimizu," Itachi spoke with a smirk. "I know. I was the one that suggested her to Lord Third."

"I should have known." Danzo's eyes bore into Itachi's with anger and frustration. He made hand gestures that had Miyuki stiffening in shock. Water condensed into a sword shape in his hands then solidified into ice. "I will at least be able to deal with one nuisance now, then the others."

Itachi looked at the ice sword without surprise. "I always suspected you had been responsible for the Shimizu massacre. Now here is the proof. You spliced their DNA with your own."

"Orochimaru discovering that such things could be done using the First Hokage's DNA opened all sorts of possibilities. Now even a kekkei genkai is possible for others to use." Danzo denied nothing of Itachi's accusation. "Kenta went against his brother's command and joined the foundation out of jealousy and spite. Thanks to him, I now can use Setsuna Shimizu's ice release."

Before Itachi could say or do anything, Danzo was forced to defend himself against an ice glaive wielded by an enraged Miyuki. Her violet eyes burned with rage as she shifted along his sword so she could use the staff end of her glaive to jab him in the gut. Danzo jumped back. She left him no time or room to adjust. The rest of her team stared in shock. They hadn't even realized she'd moved until she was down there attacking. The blade of her glaive sliced into Danzo's chest.

"You rat bastard," Miyuki growled as she shifted to strike again. "My clan was loyal to Konoha."

Suddenly, Danzo disappeared. He reappeared a moment later, all signs of his injury gone. "Not entirely. Your father, Setsuna refused to allow any member of his clan to join the foundation after I assisted Hanzo in the Land of Rain with an issue he was having."

Naruto clenched his fists as he put two and two together. Nagato. Danzo was talking about Nagato. He'd been the one to kill Yahiko. The fact that all of the dominos that happened over the last several years had started with Danzo. Every tragedy always seemed to lead back to him. Except the Uchiha massacre and now Naruto had to wonder just how much of that night they didn't know.

Miyuki narrowed her eyes as she puzzled through how Danzo had healed so quickly. No. Not just healed. The tear in his clothes was gone as well. A thought occurred to her. She went on the attack again. The blade of her glaive eventually caught the end of his right sleeve, tearing through the cloth up to his shoulder. She stared in horror at the sharingan eyes embedded in an arm clearly not originally Danzo's. The rage already burning her flared into an inferno. Those eyes were proof that he had a hand in destroying not just her clan but Sasuke's too. Everything they had all believed about both massacres was a lie.

Her expression cleared until only her eyes gave away what she was thinking. She didn't speak. Didn't let out a single sound. Her eyes merely looked into his single visible eye. In her violet gaze, he saw death. That was the only warning Danzo received before she went on the attack again.

"Miyuki!" Sasuke shouted out as she disappeared into the forest, chasing after Danzo. He'd seen the arm and the eyes. Like her, he knew what it meant. Landing next to Itachi, he grabbed his brother's shirt. "What the hell is going on, Itachi? For once give me some damn answers."

The older Uchiha met his brother's angry red eyes then sighed. "Danzo is responsible for the massacres of both the Uchiha and the Shimizu clans."

"So all this time, he's been a puppet master of everything?"

"Yes. Lord Third knew the truth but couldn't prove it. So, he was forced to label me a missing-nin."

Sakura reached out and gently took hold of one of Sasuke's hands still fisted in Itachi's shirt. He looked over to meet her worried emerald eyes. Forcing his hate back into the box it belonged in, he drew in a deep breath and slowly let it back out. "The rest of the answers will have to wait. We need to stop Miyuki. If she kills Danzo in the state she's in, she may not come out of her hate this time."

Kakashi nodded in agreement as he pushed his headband up to expose his sharingan eye. "I failed to save her from herself once. I won't fail again."

"We'll stop Danzo while we're at it," Naruto promised punching a fist into his palm. "Just because you and Miyuki shouldn't kill him, doesn't mean he should get away with what he's done."

Sakura pulled on her gloves. "Right. No one hurts Sasuke and gets to walk away without suffering first."

Itachi looked at Sasuke's team with a small smile. It relieved him to see that Lord Third had kept his promise to make sure Sasuke was taken care of so well. Nodding at them, he activated his own sharingan eyes.


	18. Hate vs Love

**Ch. 18: Hate vs Love  
**

Two of Danzo's sharingans were now permanently closed. Miyuki was more skilled than even he anticipated. She wielded her ice glaive with the same expertise Guy did his fists. While Guy's taijutsu focused on strength and power. Miyuki's was more about her agility and speed. Her weapon was an extension of her own body and moved as fluidly with her movements as her arms and legs. It was no wonder she'd been capable of killing an Anbu level foundation member like Kenta Shimizu at nineteen years old. She'd nearly killed him twice, forcing him to use the Izanagi twice already.

Ice ran through Miyuki's blood. Danzo was going to pay. No matter what she had to do, he was not leaving this forest alive. First thing first. Those sharingan had to go. Finding the weakness in the Izanagi wasn't too difficult. At least, it was a weakness in Danzo's use of it. Which was all that really mattered. She changed her glaive into a sword and slashed downward at him with one hand. Danzo blocked it with his own ice sword. Miyuki smirked. In her free hand, she summoned a second ice sword and slashed up at Danzo's right shoulder. Blood spilled everywhere as the sharingan covered arm fell to the ground. Danzo yelled in pain as he stumbled back, dropping the ice sword he'd been using.

Miyuki let one of her swords evaporate and turned the other back into a glaive. "No more Sharingan's to save you." She lunged at him only to have someone appear behind her and grab her hands, holding her back. Letting out a snarl of frustration, she ordered, "Let me go, Kakashi."

"Not this time, Miyuki." His hands tightened over hers as he pulled her back against him.

"He is responsible for it all."

"Yes." Her pain reflected in Kakashi's tone. "But I can't let you kill him like this."

She struggled against his hold.

Sasuke moved to stand between her and Danzo. "No, Miyuki."

"But I have him. He can't escape now."

"I know that," Kakashi agreed. She could feel his body shaking behind her, whether from effort or something else she couldn't say. "But we can't let you do this. Not like this."

"Miyuki, you saved me from my hate. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't save you from yours," Sasuke pointed out, keeping his body between her and Danzo. The look in her eyes scared him. This look. This is what he almost became. Had this hate lurked deep in her all this time? How could he have missed it?

"I don't need saving." Her eyes didn't leave Danzo. "I need you to get out of my way."

"No. I won't let this hate get the better of you. You're stronger than that," Sasuke snapped out, angry she would give in to it so easily after fighting it for so long.

"Even if he would, I won't," Kakashi informed her bluntly. "I won't let your hate take you from me a second time, Miyuki. Unfortunately, I love you too much for that now."

She froze. He rarely said it anymore than she did. That word was big for them both after all they'd lost. She felt her eyes sting. Rage battled love inside her. "He took them from me."

"I know."

"He hurt Sasuke." She began to shake.

"I know." Kakashi's grip gentled.

"He would have killed you." She was crying now.

Kakashi wished she'd let the glaive go so he could comfort her properly. Damn her stubborn nature. "I know."

"Miyuki, put the glaive down," Sasuke told her, half pleading half ordering. "Danzo isn't going to get away with it. I promise you that."

"Miyuki, please," Kakashi asked one more time. "Don't leave me again."

She couldn't. Not after all Kakashi lost already. She couldn't hurt him like that. The fight left her. Her arms dropped down. The glaive evaporated before it touched the ground. Kakashi spun her around and pulled her into a tight hug, thanking any listening god that she finally gave in. Her arms came up and gripped his shirt in tight fists as she cried into his chest.

While Sasuke and Kakashi had been busy talking Miyuki down, Danzo grabbed his discarded ice sword. The sword was an inch from Sasuke's back when it stopped. Everyone looked on with wide eyes as Kisame withdrew his own sword from Danzo. Danzo crumpled to the ground.

The shark man grinned widely. "I will say this for him. He fought until the end." He shrugged at everyone's shocked expressions. "What? I don't hate him so killing him was fine for me."

"Kisame, what are you doing here?" Itachi asked him with what sounded like exasperation. "I thought we agreed that this was my fight."

"We did. But I couldn't help being nosy." Kisame let out a forlorn sigh. "I was hoping to get a rematch with the Ice Queen, but it seems that won't be happening any time soon."

Miyuki couldn't help the startled chuckle that escaped her. "I'm afraid I'm not up to a fight right now. How about a rain check?"

"Ooh. Does that mean I will get a rematch?"

"Sure." Miyuki winced when she stepped away from Kakashi. At some point in her rage infused state, she'd suffered several injuries she hadn't noticed until now. "It's the least I can do after you took care of Danzo."

"We should get back and report to Lady Tsunade," Sakura pointed out when everyone fell silent. "And Itachi and Kisame should not come just yet. Not until we have a chance to explain things to the Hokage."

Tsunade was understandably surprised by everything they told her. Mentally, she cursed her old Sensei for not cluing someone in on what Danzo had been doing all this time. Acting quickly, the pardoned Itachi and welcomed Kisame into the village. Explanations were given to all about Danzo's schemes, which upon questioning of Itachi revealed was connected to nearly every tragedy that had befallen Konoha in recent years. His plans had turned Nagato into Pain. He ordered the deaths of two whole clans. Stealing Shisui's eye had led to his suicide. He framed Itachi for the slaughter of his clan. Kenta had not been framed. Danzo simply took advantage of Kenta's jealousy of his older brother and manipulated him into joining the foundation and killing his clan as traitors. Danzo had wanted the kekkei genkai of the Shimizu as it was one of the more versatile of jutsues in the village. Setsuna, Miyuki's father, had refused to let him have even one member of the Shimizu clan for the Foundation. So, Danzo simply took the ice release from the Shimizu clan. He'd even been the one to create Kabuto, takign him from the orphanage and having him kill his own adoptive mother.

Miyuki listened to Itachi's explanation for all of Danzo's action silently. She didn't even look at anyone through the entire conversation.

"How do you know all of this?" Tsunade asked him. "You weren't even born when the Shimizu were killed."

"I did a lot of research into Danzo's plans after he framed me. And Lord Third told me some of this himself. Things he knew but could never do anything about because there was no proof. Some Orochimaru let slip while we worked together in the Akatsuki."

Sasuke couldn't look Itachi in the eyes. "He tried to have me kill you."

Itachi nodded solemnly. "He wanted our mangekyo sharingans. Well, mine. You didn't have one at the time."

"I can't say I'm not glad he's dead," Sakura said as she slid an arm around Sasuke in silent comfort. "He wouldn't have only continued to be trouble."

Tsunade sat back with a sigh. "I'm going to be dealing with this mess for weeks." Looking at the emotionally drained and exhausted team in front of her, she shooed them out. "Go, get some rest. You all have a lot to deal with yourselves I'm sure."

As they left, Sasuke hesitantly invited Itachi back to Sakura's with the two of them. Surprised, Itachi looked at Sakura who simply nodded in agreement. The three of them walked away with Sakura helping the two Uchiha's communicate with the other. Naruto told Kisame he was welcome to stay at his place for the night. At least until something better could be figured out. Kisame took the boy up on the offer.

Kakashi looked over at Miyuki, concern in his single eye. "Miyuki, you've barely said a word?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just tell me what's wrong."

"Not what I meant. I am sorry, Kakashi. For losing myself again." She still wouldn't look at him. "All these years and I went backwards in just a few seconds."

He took her face in his hands to lift her eyes to his. "But you came back."

She sighed. "I thought the hate was gone or at least under control."

"Miyuki, you expect too much of yourself if you think it should be easy not to feel the way you do about the people who slaughtered your clan. I never expected you not to be enraged. In fact, I should have realized sooner how you'd respond and stopped you before the fight even began." He rested his forehead against hers. "What I consider a mark that you have changed is that this time you put down the weapon. You put us first and the hate second."

"I almost didn't."

"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."

That startled a chuckle out of her. She covered his hands with hers. "Thank you."

"Now, how about we go home and get some rest?" he suggested with a glint in his eye that suggested rest was not what was on his mind. "Later, we'll meet everyone for dinner and get on with the rest of our lives."

She nodded in agreement, letting her lead her home.


	19. The Rest of Their Lives

**Ch. 19: The Rest of Their Lives**

True to his word, they met up with everyone for dinner at Ichiraku's. Itachi and Kisame joined them. Things were a little awkward at first but slowly, conversation smoothed out with the help of those like Naruto and Sakura and Ino to push it along. Even Sai was well enough to come. He sat surrounded by those who cared and welcomed him with open arms. Naruto put a bowl of ramen in front of him and ordered him to eat up to regain the rest of his strength. Sitting back, Naruto slung an arm over Hinata's shoulders as he talked with Sasuke and Sakura. The room filled with chatter and laughter.

Miyuki leaned back and just watched them all. For the first time in years, she didn't pray for anything to happen. Instead, she sent up silent thanks to whatever force and put her on the path that led her here no matter the difficulties or tragedies. For the first time in her life, she regretted nothing because it all led to this moment. Kakashi took her hand under the table giving it silent squeeze.

Things were finally settling into place for everyone. With all impending doom finally gone from their lives for the time being anyway, everyone had a chance to focus more on their lives. After nearly a month with no trouble, they finally began to relax. With that, an invitation to Gaara's wedding arrived for the Hokage and Team Kakashi brought a lot of excitement to the village.

Miyuki was happy. She probably would have been bursting with excitement if she wasn't so tired all the time these days. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her really. No nightmares to keep her up. Not with Kakashi there to keep them away. Her training was suffering for it too. She hadn't said anything to anyone yet because otherwise she felt fine. Just tired. Physically, not emotionally. In fact, her emotions seemed eager to jump all over the place leaving her to keep up with them. Frustrating didn't even begin to cover it.

She finished packing for the trip to Suna then had to sit. The room spun on her and she grabbed her head in a lame attempt to steady herself. The next thing she knew, she was laying on the bed. Frowning she tried to remember how she went from sitting on it to laying on it. Damn it. Maybe it was time to see a medic about this. She pushed herself up to a sitting position again. The last thing she wanted right now was to be getting sick. Not with a wedding to attend. She wanted to check in on Sasori too.

Kakashi walked into the room and tilted his head at her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded with a reassuring smile. "Just making sure I didn't forget anything. Just decided that I'm all set."

He closed her bag for her and set it next to his. They had stopped pretending not to be living with each other and were now living in her home together. Guy had been so excited about it he practically moved all Kakashi's things for him in record timing. Sitting next to her, he pulled her close. "Good. Then you will get some rest. You've been tired lately."

She winced. Miyuki had hoped he hadn't noticed. "I'm okay."

"I'm sure you are, but rest is important."

Miyuki gave him a wry smile as she felt the blush creeping over her cheeks. "And who's fault do you think it is that I'm not getting all the rest?"

He couldn't help the smirk. "Mine of course. But you'll rest tonight. We have a long journey in the morning."

She nodded in agreement.

The next morning, Miyuki woke feeling nauseous. Taking in deep breaths, she ordered her body to calm down. After a moment, it did, much to her surprise. Looking over to see Kakashi was still sleeping, she slipped out of the bed and made her way to the kitchen. Oddly enough, she was hungry. Frowning, she wished her body would make up it's mind if it wanted to eject everything in her stomach or have her add more. The two weren't supposed to go together.

Kakashi joined her a little while later. He raised an eyebrow at her choice of oatmeal. "You hate oats."

"I usually do, but it's what I wanted today apparently." She frowned at the bowl. "Tastes change I suppose."

He chuckled.

After eating they grabbed their bags and met up with everyone at the village gates. Only Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hinata, and Team Kakashi would be going. Tsunade left the village in Shikamaru's capable hands while she was away. Ino promised to keep him focused on the job. He rolled his eyes and called her troublesome.

Kakashi kept a careful eye on Miyuki as they traveled, especially once they reached the desert. Her kekkei genkai made the desert a very uncomfortable place for her under normal circumstances. With whatever was going on with her, it seemed to be worse than normal. Still, she seemed to manage okay up until they reached the gates of Suna. She stepped through and suddenly collapsed. Kakashi caught her before she hit the ground.

"Miyuki?!" he snapped out as he tried to find what was wrong with her.

Tsunade and Sakura joined him with Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata looking on with worry.

"What happened?" Gaara and his family hurried up to them.

"Don't know yet," Tsunade answered as she stood. "May we take her to the hospital so I can examine her more thoroughly.

Just as she spoke, Miyuki stirred and opened her eyes. She found herself looking up into Kakashi's worried face. "I passed out, didn't I?"

He nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Honestly, I feel fine now," she answered with a frown as she sat up. "I was a little dizzy and tired before."

Tsunade considered Miyuki with a thoughtful look. "I still want to examine you."

Sighing with resignation, Miyuki nodded in agreement. Kakashi started to follow but one look from Tsunade had him stopping. He knew her rule as well as anyone. No one too close emotionally was allowed in her exams with patients. They just got in the way. Sighing in acceptance, he followed the others to the rooms Suna was providing for them to wait impatiently. The moment Miyuki walked into their room, he pulled her into a hug demanding answers.

"I'm okay. Lady Tsunade is waiting for a few more test results before she tells me what she thinks it is, but she did tell me I was most likely going to be fine," she reassured him quickly, snuggling into him. She felt him relax and smiled. "Sorry for worrying you."

"Just make sure that whatever Lady Tsunade says you need, you do. I don't want whatever it is to get worse."

She nodded in agreement. "I promise."

Things went smoothly afterwords. The wedding between Gaara and Reina took place the next day. Everyone laughed and cheered for the couple. No one was surprised how uncomfortable all the attention made Gaara though Reina seemed to take it in stride. She didn't let go of Gaara's hand once during the ceremony and following celebration.

Miyuki saw Reina give his hand the occasional reassuring squeeze and smiled. To Miyuki's horror, she felt her eyes sting with unshed tears and silently cursed. She hated crying and rarely did it. These days she could barely see a puppy without wanting to cry. She hoped whatever was wrong with her would go away soon. Taking in deep breaths she forced herself to calm down, relieved to see Kakashi didn't notice her moment of weakness. He was talking with Sasori and Kankuro about how things were going at the puppet core. Thankfully, she made it through the wedding and ceremony without any mishaps. The next morning, she was sitting with the others during breakfast. They were discussing when to return home when Tsunade joined them.

"Miyuki."

"Yes?" Something about the Hokage's smile made Miyuki very nervous.

"I got some interesting results back from the exam. Actually, I had them yesterday, but during the wedding didn't seem like the right time to tell you."

"Is something wrong?" Kakashi asked, worried.

Everyone fell silent.

"Nothing wrong," Tsunade assured them. "But you do need to prepare yourselves."

"For what?"

"For your future little shinobi of course." Tsunade's smile widened.

Miyuki stared at her silently for a long moment before saying, "What?"

"You're pregnant," Tsunade answered patiently.

Kakashi and Miyuki exchanged a silent look of surprise as everyone else erupted into cheers. Finally, Kakashi wrapped and arm around her shoulder to pull her close so he would whisper in her ear where only she could hear, "Not what I had planned but good news anyway."

Miyuki smiled at him. Lifting her glass, she said, "To the rest of our lives."

He nodded, clinking his glass to hers.

**The End**


End file.
